Becky Stern isn’t a Los Angeles resident and she doesn’t normally talk ab out moving, but she is a video blogger who has a lot of experience with renting in a super competitive market (New York). Her video on renting in New York has so much valuable information, even for California, that it’s certainly worth seven minutes of your time.
In the video, Becky (assuming we can call her by her first name) recommends doing your research and figuring out where you can compromise, before viewing apartments.
While her video is specifically about New York, she makes the point that you don’t have to live right in the center of everything. There is no shame in living in a fabulous place in say, Oakland, when the alternative is a dump in San Francisco.
One thing we have in common with New York is that the real estate market moves very fast. Becky recommends bringing looking no more than three months in advance and being prepared with all of your necessary paperwork before hand. If you are moving from out of town, she recommends a visit, or in worst case scenario, having a trusted friend look on your behalf (warning, I once did this and I ended up with a less than ideal apartment).
Becky’s video goes into incredible detail, down to recommending that you check the water pressure and whether the sink has a sprayer. She even tells viewers to research the building against code violations and complaints. You’ll probably have to Google it for your chosen city, but here it is for San Francisco.
Once you’ve secured your ideal apartment, Becky even has great tips for packing and moving. She (as do we) recommends packing early and keeping multiple boxes going at once so you can pack different types of items as you come across them. For example, a bookshelf might contain books and breakables. A closet might have clothing and knick-knacks. She also recommends making a color-coded floor plan to help the movers put everything in the right location.
Listen here. You’ll be better prepared.
Featured image via Wikimedia.
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