It can be tough moving from one country to another. The culture, currencies, laws, and requirements often vary from place to place. Language barriers and lack of familiarity can make moving overseas difficult or stressful. Finding apartments isn’t easy when you aren’t there to see them in person.
Fairlane Woods wants to make the hunt for the perfect apartment easier for you, so we’ve put together a few tips to make the international journey run smoothly. If you’re planning on moving to Michigan, you can check out our one, two, and three-bedroom apartments here.
Figure Out Where You Want to Live
Sometimes the hardest part is choosing the right location. Are you moving here for work? Will you have a car? Do you want to live in the city or more suburban areas?
Look for places that have the things you need when you get to the states. Check out the public transportation, and compare prices in different areas close to where you would like to live.
Create a Budget
Depending on how much you can afford, create a budget for how much you are willing to spend on food, groceries, transportation, and utilities. Sometimes utilities are included in the price, and at other apartments, you’ll have to pay for them separately. Make sure you know all these things before you commit.
Have Paperwork Ready
Apartments in the US often require proof of income and accountability. They often check US credit scores to make sure you are reliable when it comes to making payments. Since you may not have a US credit score, gather other documents like rent receipts and pay stubs so they can see you have a history of paying on time. If needed, offer to pay a higher deposit or multiple months’ rent to prove you are reliable.
If you have friends or family members in the area, it might help to see if they can cosign your lease.
Start Hunting
Websites such as Apartments.com and Craigslist.com can be of great assistance when it comes to searching. Some of these websites will have you fill out forms to contact and apply for apartments, while sites like Craigslist often have you contact the property manager directly.
Brokers or Real Estate Agents
If you are willing to pay a little more in your search for the perfect apartment home, consider hiring a real estate agent or apartment broker to find your apartment for you. They understand the market and can help you understand everything that goes into finding your own place.
Thoroughly Read the Lease and See the Apartment
If you can, try to take a virtual tour of the apartment you are trying to rent here in the US. If you are already here, make sure you visit and see the inside before you decide. Often photos can be misleading, so when viewing apartments online, make sure to vet listings for thorough descriptions and photos.
Never rent an apartment without talking to someone first. Scammers are real, and you don’t want to send money to someone you don’t trust.
For further help or information from our staff here at Fairlane Woods apartments, feel free to contact us!
Braden Bills:
I want to rent an apartment, but I’ve never done anything like this before. It makes sense that I would want to ensure that I have all of my paperwork together. That way, I can get the home correctly.
Mia Evans:
It really helped when you said that you should have proof of income and accountability ready and your credit scores will be checked as well. I will share this with a friend of mine, since they are looking for two-bedroom apartments this year. It’s for their relative from another country who will finally settle down here in our area once all the paperwork is done in the immigration.
Millie Hue:
I like that you suggested hiring a real estate agent that you can trust to look for apartments for you, since they understand the market more. I will share this information with my friend because their relatives from another country would like to move here within this year. And they apparently need a two-bedroom apartment for rent because they are four members in a family.
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Una de las principales ventajas es que los complejos departamentales cuentan con el servicio de seguridad las 24 horas. El cual te da la tranquilidad de vivir sin preocupaciones o tener que instalar un arsenal de protección que lo único que hace es que parezca cárcel en vez de casa.
Millie Hue:
I like that you talked about comparing prices and knowing the area and where are they close to first. I will follow your advice now that I am looking for three-bedroom townhomes for rent this year to move out of my sister’s place. My dream is to live in another city or state, so this tip can also help me even if I am not from another country.
John Carston:
I never knew that paperworks is necessary to update your credit scores. My friend told me last week that he is hoping to find an apartment with sufficient bedrooms for his children, and he asked if I had any idea what could be the best option to do. Thank you for this helpful article, and I’ll be sure to tell him that it will help provide more information about their apartments.