5 Things To Look For In A Good Rental Home Location
Posted on: 13 January 2022
There's an old adage in real estate: location, location, location. This is also true when shopping for a rental home. While the actual rental unit is important, its location should offer a few key elements. Here are five of the most important to look for.
1. Low Crime Rates. Whether you rent the best home on the block or the worst, you should feel safe in the neighborhood. Check out crime rates with your local city offices, paying attention to trends either of growing or lessening crimes. Talk with local businesses or homeowners about their experiences as well.
2. Transportation Access. Transportation is a daily necessity, so lack of access to convenient transportation will grate on you. Your transportation needs are different depending on whether you drive, use public transit, ride a bike or a motorcycle, or ride share. So if you have a long commute, look for a house with close access to the highway. Use the bus? Keep the walk comfortable and short.
3. Ample Parking. When you visit the home, take note of how easy or difficult it is to find parking. Most single-family rental homes don't have a parking lot, but they should have at least one dedicated parking spot. Beyond that, look around the street to see whether you and your dinner guests will have trouble parking any time you want to entertain.
4. Local Businesses. How many goods and services are available within a short drive or a walkable radius? Renters are often busy with careers and family, so you don't want to spend all of your time driving out of your way to find what you need. Look for options like grocery stores, gas stations, schools, coffee shops, nightlife, boutiques, and theaters. Don't rent a home just because of trendy businesses, though. Rent where you will actually use the businesses.
5. Good Schools. If you don't have school-age children, do you need to pay attention to local schools? You may want to, in fact. Being in a district with higher-quality schools is often a sign of a more engaged community, more local investment, and improving neighborhoods. So don't discount its value as a benchmark.
Ready to start applying these factors in your own rental housing search? Begin by touring home rentals today. As you pay attention to what's going on around the house itself, you're sure to find a great spot to call home for a little or a long time.
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