Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Why Apartment Rental Prices in Developing Countries are So High?
by samvak (Member) - published: November 8, 2008 In most developed countries, the renting of residential property (apartments) provides the owner with an annual income equal to 2-3% of the value of his or her real estate. In developing countries, owners make 6-7%. An apartment selling for 100,000 euros will often rent for 7000 euros a year. One pays the same to rent an apartment in Skopje, Macedonia and in Berlin, Germany even though, in Berlin, apartments are three to five times more expensive to buy.Why this excess yield?Five reasons:(1) Limited supply. Despite the construction craze of recent years, there is still a shortage of apartments, especially properties to let.(2) Criminals and politicians, whose sources of funding are unlimited, jack up the prices and rarely bargain. They use other people's money to pay for their luxuries and don't care to save or to secure a reasonable price.(3) Foreigners who live in developing countries are usually employed by NGOs, international financial institutions (IFIs), and multinationals. Their employers pay their expenses and have little time and inclination to haggle over the rent in a crowded market. They pay the asking price every time.(4) Yuppies - young, upwardly mobile entrants to the workforce, employed mainly in the financial services industry - earn 3 to 6 times the average salary and can afford to pay exorbitant rents.(5) The process of urbanization in developing countries is unrelenting. Tens of thousands of peasants and villagers relocate to the cities every year, with capital cities or commercial centers their main destinations. They support rental prices by increasing the demand, although they cannot usually afford the more expensive apartments.For apartments in New Jersey go to Raritan Crossing. They are pet friendly apartments and New Brunswick NJ apartments. Rentals near Metropark and apartments in Middlesex county. For apartments in central NJ this is the place for you with Apartments in Middlesex County NJ. Raritan Crossing has apartments near metropark, apartments near Rutgers and apartments near Robert Wood Johnson. Central NJ Apartments.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
How to Find the Right Apartment Without the Stress
Apartment hunting can be a stressful experience, and with good reason. Not only might it require much of your time, but the process can leave you feeling frustrated, disappointed, desperate, or even overwhelmed. For your search to be as effective as possible, you need to try your best to keep stress out of the picture.
Fortunately, this isn't as tough as it sounds. Here are six tips to help you find the right apartment without the stress:
1. Know what you want. Before you venture out there to look at apartments, take the time to decide on what you want in an apartment. Ask yourself questions such as:
How many bedrooms and bathrooms do I need?
How much closet space do I need?
How important is size?
How important is location?
Are any features -- such as a good view, crown moulding, an updated kitchen, or built-in shelves -- important?
Where will I park my car, or where can people who visit me park their cars? Where can I put my bike?
What amenities are important to me? Do I need a doorman, laundry in the building or on the floor, or a fitness center?
Are pets allowed?As you ask yourself these questions, decide what your limits are. For example, if you need to live within walking distance of where you work or go to school, look at a map or actually take a walk around the area so you can decide just how far away you'll look.
Also, think about whether there may be acceptable alternatives for meeting your needs. For example, say you need a lot of storage space. A building that offers a basement storage area to each tenant would perhaps be ideal, but it may not be necessary. If you don't need to access your stuff often, renting space in a nearby self-storage facility might do the trick.
Once you're set on exactly what you're looking for in an apartment, go hunting while keeping all your criteria in mind. Don't waste time checking out listings for apartments that won't fit the bill. For instance, if you must live with your dog, then ask a potential landlord whether she allows pets in her building, or communicate your needs to your broker early on.
2. Stay focused and don't get discouraged. When you start feeling frustrated with your apartment search, don't despair! Instead, stay focused and keep your eye on the prize. Remember just how excited you were when you started your search, and try to visualize how happy you'll be once you find the right place.
Many apartment hunters also get discouraged when they find what they think is the right apartment only to lose out to someone who beat them with an earlier deposit. If this happens to you, tell yourself that it wasn't meant to be, and just keep at it. So many people have stories about how they missed out on their "dream apartment" only to wind up with something even better. Just think that you'll have such a story to tell one day.
3. Set realistic goals and expectations. It's hard to find tenants who can tell you that they found the perfect apartment without much effort. Don't expect anything different for your search, and you won't be disappointed. This way, if you find an apartment immediately, great. If not, you'll just take it in stride and know that it's just a matter of time until you reach your goal.
4. Create a plan of action with your roommates. If you're looking for an apartment with a roommate, discuss what your plan of action is. If you're both too busy to see every listing together, decide how you'll divvy things up. Perhaps you'll alternate the days each of you look at listings, or you'll each be responsible for dealing with different brokers. If only one of you sees an apartment and it passes muster, you can both return to see it again. If you're in a hot market where good apartments tend to go fast, you may decide to go together to visit the ones that strike you as the most promising.
5. Stay organized and take good notes. Once you start to see more than a few apartments, it's easy to get them confused. Stay organized by taking good notes about your apartment hunting efforts. For example, make a chart (by hand or on your computer) that lists the following:
an apartment's address; the broker, owner, or tenant and their contact information; the number of bedrooms and bathrooms; the pros and cons; any promises that were made; and additional notes.Use an accordion file to hold any brochures, advertisements, floorplans, listings, photos, or other printed material you have.
6. Ask questions. Choosing a place to live is a serious matter, so don't be afraid to ask questions. If you don't like the answers you hear or you suspect that your broker or a landlord isn't being honest with you, move on.
If you visit an apartment with a broker and the current tenant is home, take advantage of the opportunity. Ask the tenant questions such as the following:
Does the heat really work? Does the apartment get too much or too little sun? How much are the utility bills each month? Is noise from neighboring apartments a problem? Do you think the building and the neighborhood are safe?Hopefully, you're already feeling less stressed just from having read these tips. If you keep them in mind as you search for your next apartment, you can look forward to a more pleasant path toward finding that perfect place you'll soon call home.
For apartments in New Jersey go to Raritan Crossing. They are pet friendly apartments and New Brunswick NJ apartments. Rentals near Metropark and apartments in Middlesex county. For apartments in central NJ this is the place for you with Apartments in Middlesex County NJ. Raritan Crossing has apartments near metropark, apartments near Rutgers and apartments near Robert Wood Johnson. Central NJ Apartments.
Fortunately, this isn't as tough as it sounds. Here are six tips to help you find the right apartment without the stress:
1. Know what you want. Before you venture out there to look at apartments, take the time to decide on what you want in an apartment. Ask yourself questions such as:
How many bedrooms and bathrooms do I need?
How much closet space do I need?
How important is size?
How important is location?
Are any features -- such as a good view, crown moulding, an updated kitchen, or built-in shelves -- important?
Where will I park my car, or where can people who visit me park their cars? Where can I put my bike?
What amenities are important to me? Do I need a doorman, laundry in the building or on the floor, or a fitness center?
Are pets allowed?As you ask yourself these questions, decide what your limits are. For example, if you need to live within walking distance of where you work or go to school, look at a map or actually take a walk around the area so you can decide just how far away you'll look.
Also, think about whether there may be acceptable alternatives for meeting your needs. For example, say you need a lot of storage space. A building that offers a basement storage area to each tenant would perhaps be ideal, but it may not be necessary. If you don't need to access your stuff often, renting space in a nearby self-storage facility might do the trick.
Once you're set on exactly what you're looking for in an apartment, go hunting while keeping all your criteria in mind. Don't waste time checking out listings for apartments that won't fit the bill. For instance, if you must live with your dog, then ask a potential landlord whether she allows pets in her building, or communicate your needs to your broker early on.
2. Stay focused and don't get discouraged. When you start feeling frustrated with your apartment search, don't despair! Instead, stay focused and keep your eye on the prize. Remember just how excited you were when you started your search, and try to visualize how happy you'll be once you find the right place.
Many apartment hunters also get discouraged when they find what they think is the right apartment only to lose out to someone who beat them with an earlier deposit. If this happens to you, tell yourself that it wasn't meant to be, and just keep at it. So many people have stories about how they missed out on their "dream apartment" only to wind up with something even better. Just think that you'll have such a story to tell one day.
3. Set realistic goals and expectations. It's hard to find tenants who can tell you that they found the perfect apartment without much effort. Don't expect anything different for your search, and you won't be disappointed. This way, if you find an apartment immediately, great. If not, you'll just take it in stride and know that it's just a matter of time until you reach your goal.
4. Create a plan of action with your roommates. If you're looking for an apartment with a roommate, discuss what your plan of action is. If you're both too busy to see every listing together, decide how you'll divvy things up. Perhaps you'll alternate the days each of you look at listings, or you'll each be responsible for dealing with different brokers. If only one of you sees an apartment and it passes muster, you can both return to see it again. If you're in a hot market where good apartments tend to go fast, you may decide to go together to visit the ones that strike you as the most promising.
5. Stay organized and take good notes. Once you start to see more than a few apartments, it's easy to get them confused. Stay organized by taking good notes about your apartment hunting efforts. For example, make a chart (by hand or on your computer) that lists the following:
an apartment's address; the broker, owner, or tenant and their contact information; the number of bedrooms and bathrooms; the pros and cons; any promises that were made; and additional notes.Use an accordion file to hold any brochures, advertisements, floorplans, listings, photos, or other printed material you have.
6. Ask questions. Choosing a place to live is a serious matter, so don't be afraid to ask questions. If you don't like the answers you hear or you suspect that your broker or a landlord isn't being honest with you, move on.
If you visit an apartment with a broker and the current tenant is home, take advantage of the opportunity. Ask the tenant questions such as the following:
Does the heat really work? Does the apartment get too much or too little sun? How much are the utility bills each month? Is noise from neighboring apartments a problem? Do you think the building and the neighborhood are safe?Hopefully, you're already feeling less stressed just from having read these tips. If you keep them in mind as you search for your next apartment, you can look forward to a more pleasant path toward finding that perfect place you'll soon call home.
For apartments in New Jersey go to Raritan Crossing. They are pet friendly apartments and New Brunswick NJ apartments. Rentals near Metropark and apartments in Middlesex county. For apartments in central NJ this is the place for you with Apartments in Middlesex County NJ. Raritan Crossing has apartments near metropark, apartments near Rutgers and apartments near Robert Wood Johnson. Central NJ Apartments.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Tips on Decorating Your Rental Apartment
When you are at the point of moving into your rental apartment you want to be able to furnish and decorate it your taste. In addition to making your apartment your home, you might want it to not be so permanent. I would like to discuss 3 tips on making your rental apartment your home, without it being a forever-thing.
KEEP IT SIMPLEAs a design, simplicity has its admirers. When you keep the design simple in your rental unit you have less things to move when you need to move. This minimalist design will have a more modern look, and look cleaner. If modern tastes don’t suit you then choose items that do suit your tastes and put them in more obvious parts of the apartment. This can enable you to buy a more expensive piece, since you are not buying too many to fill your apartment.Ikea has a more modern, simplistic design on the furniture end. Furniture Barn has a more traditional approach to furniture. Whichever you choose, don’t buy too many things to clutter up your apartment.For apartments in New Jersey go to Raritan Crossing. They are pet friendly apartments and New Brunswick NJ apartments. Rentals near Metropark and apartments in Middlesex county. For apartments in central NJ this is the place for you with Apartments in Middlesex County NJ. Raritan Crossing has apartments near metropark, apartments near Rutgers and apartments near Robert Wood Johnson. Central NJ Apartments
KEEP IT SIMPLEAs a design, simplicity has its admirers. When you keep the design simple in your rental unit you have less things to move when you need to move. This minimalist design will have a more modern look, and look cleaner. If modern tastes don’t suit you then choose items that do suit your tastes and put them in more obvious parts of the apartment. This can enable you to buy a more expensive piece, since you are not buying too many to fill your apartment.Ikea has a more modern, simplistic design on the furniture end. Furniture Barn has a more traditional approach to furniture. Whichever you choose, don’t buy too many things to clutter up your apartment.For apartments in New Jersey go to Raritan Crossing. They are pet friendly apartments and New Brunswick NJ apartments. Rentals near Metropark and apartments in Middlesex county. For apartments in central NJ this is the place for you with Apartments in Middlesex County NJ. Raritan Crossing has apartments near metropark, apartments near Rutgers and apartments near Robert Wood Johnson. Central NJ Apartments
Monday, May 4, 2009
Major things to look for during your inspection:
- Sufficient safety features, including smoke detectors and fire extinguishers should be in place. Look inside the apartment as well as in the hallways and in other common areas.
- Check out faucets, toilets and the pipes under kitchen cabinets for potential leaks in plumbing. Look for water marks or the like, which show past water/leak damage.
- Check the water pressure in the unit. Also check the hot water temperature. Turn on the water in the shower when you walk into the unit and see how long it takes to get hot. Keep the shower on while you complete the rest of your walk through. The temperature should remain comfortable by the time you leave the unit. If the water is cold by the time that you leave, there’s good chance that you could run out of hot water in the mornings. It also signals there is something wrong with the hot water system (very expensive and problematic to replace, especially in winter).
- Check the water heater and furnace to make sure they are free of rust. Look for rocks, stones or other debris on the outside of the heater or furnace. This debris or chipping may indicate leaks. These leaks could possibly indicate carbon monoxide problems.
- Make sure that all appliances in the unit work properly and are not damaged. If there is not a washer or dryer in the unit, ask to see the common laundry area. Make sure the common area is well maintained and is well lit. Make sure that access to the common laundry area is limited to residents only.
- Look for any evidence of insects or rodents, both on the floor in visible areas as well as inside cabinets, drawers and closets.
- Run your hand along the outside of the window to check for drafts. You could end up paying up to 50% in heating or cooling costs if the windows do not provide sufficient seals.
- Look up at the ceiling and walls for any water damage, peeling paint or wallpaper. This may indicate either a water leak from or very careless upstairs neighbors. If there is discoloration, it may be a sign of mold.
- Locks should be sturdy and not wobbly. Make sure all copies of the keys you get (at least 2) can open all the relevant locks. Here are some frugal ways to keep your apartment safe after you move in.
- Doors should open and close easily and fit well within the door frame. The hinges should be sturdy. This is of superior importance when inspecting doors that lead to the outside. The apartment should have a deadbolt on all outside doors.
- Turn off and on all lighting inside the apartment to check for electrical shortages.
- Check cell phone reception. A lot of apartment dwellers are doing away with land line phones to save money and thanks to unlimited cell phone calling packages. Check you get reception for your network. Also ensure the apartment has a working Internet connection/access.
Don’t rush through your inspection of your potential new apartment. Be thorough and take your time. If possible try and inspect it at different times of the day to get a sense of noise, community and safety. After all, it will be your home for at least the next year, so make sure you choose a place that you know you’ll be happy with.
For apartments in New Jersey go to Raritan Crossing. They are pet friendly apartments and New Brunswick NJ apartments. Rentals near Metropark and apartments in Middlesex county. For apartments in central NJ this is the place for you with Apartments in Middlesex County NJ. Raritan Crossing has apartments near metropark, apartments near Rutgers and apartments near Robert Wood Johnson. Central NJ Apartments.
- Check out faucets, toilets and the pipes under kitchen cabinets for potential leaks in plumbing. Look for water marks or the like, which show past water/leak damage.
- Check the water pressure in the unit. Also check the hot water temperature. Turn on the water in the shower when you walk into the unit and see how long it takes to get hot. Keep the shower on while you complete the rest of your walk through. The temperature should remain comfortable by the time you leave the unit. If the water is cold by the time that you leave, there’s good chance that you could run out of hot water in the mornings. It also signals there is something wrong with the hot water system (very expensive and problematic to replace, especially in winter).
- Check the water heater and furnace to make sure they are free of rust. Look for rocks, stones or other debris on the outside of the heater or furnace. This debris or chipping may indicate leaks. These leaks could possibly indicate carbon monoxide problems.
- Make sure that all appliances in the unit work properly and are not damaged. If there is not a washer or dryer in the unit, ask to see the common laundry area. Make sure the common area is well maintained and is well lit. Make sure that access to the common laundry area is limited to residents only.
- Look for any evidence of insects or rodents, both on the floor in visible areas as well as inside cabinets, drawers and closets.
- Run your hand along the outside of the window to check for drafts. You could end up paying up to 50% in heating or cooling costs if the windows do not provide sufficient seals.
- Look up at the ceiling and walls for any water damage, peeling paint or wallpaper. This may indicate either a water leak from or very careless upstairs neighbors. If there is discoloration, it may be a sign of mold.
- Locks should be sturdy and not wobbly. Make sure all copies of the keys you get (at least 2) can open all the relevant locks. Here are some frugal ways to keep your apartment safe after you move in.
- Doors should open and close easily and fit well within the door frame. The hinges should be sturdy. This is of superior importance when inspecting doors that lead to the outside. The apartment should have a deadbolt on all outside doors.
- Turn off and on all lighting inside the apartment to check for electrical shortages.
- Check cell phone reception. A lot of apartment dwellers are doing away with land line phones to save money and thanks to unlimited cell phone calling packages. Check you get reception for your network. Also ensure the apartment has a working Internet connection/access.
Don’t rush through your inspection of your potential new apartment. Be thorough and take your time. If possible try and inspect it at different times of the day to get a sense of noise, community and safety. After all, it will be your home for at least the next year, so make sure you choose a place that you know you’ll be happy with.
For apartments in New Jersey go to Raritan Crossing. They are pet friendly apartments and New Brunswick NJ apartments. Rentals near Metropark and apartments in Middlesex county. For apartments in central NJ this is the place for you with Apartments in Middlesex County NJ. Raritan Crossing has apartments near metropark, apartments near Rutgers and apartments near Robert Wood Johnson. Central NJ Apartments.
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