Looking for an apartment is an entirely different beast from looking for a house – but even then, a lot of the basic rules still apply. When it comes to finding a place of your own in Selangor’s new OUG Parklane district, reputed experts like Property Guru are key – alongside a step-by-step strategy considering your options and finding the right condo for you.
No matter who you are or what stage in your life you’re in, a place to live in a connected and modern apartment district is a boon to any profession. But precisely because of that, it’s also a very large price point. Apartments in the area are extremely competitively-priced – meaning, you have to be especially diligent if you’re hunting for an apartment there.
Apartment Hunting Is a Family Activity
If you’re a family or a couple looking to move in together, then two heads are always better than one. Look together, and consider your options together. Start your hunt online with a variety of images, videos and virtual tours – but never make a decision of any kind without visiting the property itself. Marketing material is usually fairly different from reality, and no virtual tour beats walking the halls of the apartment on your own two feet.
Alternatively, Get a Roommate
The costs of renting an apartment can be quite high. Depending on your profession, however, it can be a necessity. If you can’t afford to stay someplace alone, then getting a roommate can help you alleviate the cost of living and still share adequate living spaces to live separate lives. According to a blogger in the Globe and Mail, living alone cost him an extra 20 percent.
Vetting a roommate can be a tiresome process, so try and look for roommates within your pre-existing friend pool. Otherwise, roommates can potentially be found in abundance online through classified ads and other such resources.
Set a Very Concrete Budget
Not all apartments cost equal prices – but your budget is potentially inflexible. Having a clear maximum price point can help you avoid awkward situations where unnecessary stress and debt can be piled onto your shoulders because you can no longer pay off your rent.
You can also apply for a bank loan if you’re looking to a buy an apartment in its entirety – but that will mean facing financial scrutiny. For people with a reliable, clean financial record and credit rating, an apartment loan is entirely feasible. High-rise properties in Malaysia cost an average of MYR 296,826, according to Global Property Guide. This can help you build an even more precise budget, as a bank’s interest rates are a great gauge for what’s possible and what isn’t possible with your current financial standing.
How Much Space Do You Really Need?
Apartments come in different shapes and sizes. Some have two bedrooms, others are studio apartments. Some have larger closet space, and others have smaller space – or none at all. An apartment building comes with all kinds of different floor plans to cater to different customers – high-end penthouse apartments for the very affluent, and studio apartments for local students looking for a place to crash with friends, in-between tests, study marathons and examinations.
Get together with your family or roommates and consider how much space you need. Do you need two bedrooms? Or can you squeeze in half a dozen mattresses into one bedroom and call it a day? Do you need two bathrooms? Or is your family of three satisfied with a single water closet and shower?
These are all important distinctions – but they don’t have to be absolute. Sometimes, you can find a good deal offering more than you wanted – or a better deal with a little less than you could’ve hoped for. Largely the offers you’ll be getting are based on luck and circumstance – but knowing the distinction between how much space you want and how much space you need can help you make quick calls in a competitive and fast-paced market.
Is Parking an Issue?
Parking is a large issue to consider when buying or renting an apartment. If you’re one who uses public transport, then it’s largely unimportant to you – but if you’ve got to head to and back from work on a daily basis, choosing an apartment closer to the parking space can help you cut travel time out of your busy schedule. It’s also important for when you’re grocery shopping – who wants to schlepp several bags over a dozen floors when you can get home faster by living closer to parking?
Take Concrete, Swift Action
Like mentioned, the housing market is competitive. Once you’ve decided that you want to rent or own an apartment, you have to act swiftly – hunt and choose your target apartment before it’s snatched away, or you’ll find yourself in a situation where, after a lengthy process of going through available apartments, you’ll decide on one that a more decisive buyer had already snatched up.