Useful Tips For Renting An Apartment In Vancouver.

Renting a home in Vancouver is expensive and challenging, and it seems that rental prices will remain high for the foreseeable future. So it is important that you plan, budget and chose carefully. Below are some tried and tested useful tips that will help your rental experience:

Chose the neighborhood you are interested in.
Knowing where you will be travelling on a regular or daily basis is crucial, as you can spend a lot of time and money on the commute. Explore neighborhoods and familiarize yourself with the location of stores, gyms, restaurants, public facilities, parks etc. If you do not own a car, make sure the area is centrally located and transit accessible.

Make a checklist of what you require
Your checklist should contain all the things you require in an ideal apartment and rank them in terms of importance. Be practical because your budget may not be able to accommodate certain things you may want.

Research the neighborhood.
Once you have found the area you are interested in, start your research on local rental averages. The local news, community papers, rental search portals like Liv. Rent, Craigslist and Kijiji are great resources for finding rental accommodation and rates. Check with local realtors or a rental agency to see if they have access to nearby listings.

Apply to many listings
Because there is a shortage of rental accommodation in the city, there are others who will be competing for the same property and maybe as qualified as you are. Don’t just apply to one listing and expect to get accepted. You may be disappointed.

Do a thorough inspection of the property
When viewing the apartment, have the landlord demonstrate that the appliances are in working order. Look for any defects in all the rooms and make sure they are known to the landlord as they may be used in the final negotiation if necessary. It is also best to view the unit during the day.

Have your important information ready
Because you may be competing with several other potential tenants, it is important to have all your documents and facts ready, if the landlord asks. Information such as pay stubs, rental history, a letter from your previous landlord, and bank statements are important to have when filling out the application. This may give you an advantage over others who are not as well prepared, especially if you are on the landlord’s shortlist.

We have several excellent rental properties available at Virani Rent+ Manage. Visit our website or, contact us to book a tour.