Normal people looking for a normal home - be prepared
News is out, the boyfriend and I are past the phase of ‘sort of thinking of maybe possibly one day move out’ and are actually inspecting places, with melodramatic results.
After our horror experience with a carpeted two-bedroom with a view, we took the executive decision to operate according to business as usual standards in relation to further our investigation knowledge.
Which means: we googled how-to inspect rental properties.
And, I have to say, some people are either extremely smart or have been seriously scammed in the past! The level of accuracy and common-sense makes me want to smack my forehead and go: of course you want to count the power outlets in every room, see if windows actually open, and check for phone reception.
Other people are more investigative and they suggest to check all handles to verify consistency, actually test power outlets, measure allocated fridge space and, cherry on top, listen for noises coming from the neighbouring apartments. Are walls think enough or would you have to get familiar very quickly with your neighbours?
Then we have the evil geniuses. Those who want to test all of the taps, evaluate the flow-power and how long it takes for water to get hot, then pull the drain in all sinks and flush at the same time, all while power walking through the hallways scouting for neighbours to interrogate. Children? Rush hour? Air BnB?
If I were left to my theories and spreadsheets I would have only remembered to maybe check for double-glazed windows and assess if and when sun shines in a room. Again, importance of 'the vibe'. Following conversations with friends who successfully moved out, I also gathered more intel I would like to share with you: make sure there are elevators and staircase, measure the entrance door, check where the internet router will be plugged, and ask if energy and internet suppliers are set.
If I recall correctly, our first inspections lasted a very, very, short time. Maybe it was so that we wouldn't actually go around testing things and noticing all the negatives; maybe it was so that 'that one guy' would stop saying "Ehhhh there is much work to be done here" while tapping the side of his shoe to the wall and crossing his arms like he knew what he was on about. As you'd expect I didn't even think of tapping on the walls to check density and resistance! So, I deemed it necessary to create a secondary spreadsheet for upcoming inspections. No more believing photos or descriptions, I will only listen to strangers and the internet!
Image: via
After our horror experience with a carpeted two-bedroom with a view, we took the executive decision to operate according to business as usual standards in relation to further our investigation knowledge.
Which means: we googled how-to inspect rental properties.
And, I have to say, some people are either extremely smart or have been seriously scammed in the past! The level of accuracy and common-sense makes me want to smack my forehead and go: of course you want to count the power outlets in every room, see if windows actually open, and check for phone reception.
Other people are more investigative and they suggest to check all handles to verify consistency, actually test power outlets, measure allocated fridge space and, cherry on top, listen for noises coming from the neighbouring apartments. Are walls think enough or would you have to get familiar very quickly with your neighbours?
Then we have the evil geniuses. Those who want to test all of the taps, evaluate the flow-power and how long it takes for water to get hot, then pull the drain in all sinks and flush at the same time, all while power walking through the hallways scouting for neighbours to interrogate. Children? Rush hour? Air BnB?
If I were left to my theories and spreadsheets I would have only remembered to maybe check for double-glazed windows and assess if and when sun shines in a room. Again, importance of 'the vibe'. Following conversations with friends who successfully moved out, I also gathered more intel I would like to share with you: make sure there are elevators and staircase, measure the entrance door, check where the internet router will be plugged, and ask if energy and internet suppliers are set.
If I recall correctly, our first inspections lasted a very, very, short time. Maybe it was so that we wouldn't actually go around testing things and noticing all the negatives; maybe it was so that 'that one guy' would stop saying "Ehhhh there is much work to be done here" while tapping the side of his shoe to the wall and crossing his arms like he knew what he was on about. As you'd expect I didn't even think of tapping on the walls to check density and resistance! So, I deemed it necessary to create a secondary spreadsheet for upcoming inspections. No more believing photos or descriptions, I will only listen to strangers and the internet!
Image: via
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