Your visa or the green card has arrived, now you will need to find a house. Renting is relatively simple and comparable to how things are done in the UK.
How do you find a rental property? For example via the websites Zillow, Rent.com and HotPads. Craigslist mainly contains advertisements from private landlords and people who sublet their property. Beware of scammers – never send money before you have been able to view a house. Websites like Craigslist are full of people that pretend to own property for rent, ask you to send them money – promising that they will send the keys, and of course, never do. Local newspapers also contain advertisements. Many houses are offered by brokers, brokers who mediate in rental houses and ask for a fee for their services.
The easiest way is to use your network to find a home, so that you can get a place to live before you go to the United States. It is also possible to temporarily rent a room or house through Airbnb in the city where you want to live in order to look for a permanent rental property from there.
All tips about emigrating to America
A social security number is essential in America. In itself there are not many requirements to be eligible for a rental property in the private sector. Many large landlords want to see a payslip, an overview of financial resources (bank accounts, etc.) and some personal information. Some landlords want tenants to give up a family member or friend as a guarantor – someone who guarantees when you cannot pay the rent. Private landlords are generally not difficult.
If you register for a home, you can be invited for an individual or group viewing. Note the condition of the property, view the neighborhood and calculate the total price: the basic rent plus utilities (gas, water and electricity). View the lease terms carefully. It contains the minimum period that you rent the property and the options for breaking a contract. Normally this is a year, but private landlords can also be more flexible here.
It is normal – certainly in the big cities – that the tenant pays a months rent in advance, as well as a deposit. The landlord may determine the amount himself, but the deposit usually does not exceed six weeks of rent. If you have signed a lease for a fixed period, for example a year, the rent may not be increased during that period. With a contract that is extended per month, no restrictions apply.
Found a rental property? There is no such thing as a municipal basic registration in the United States, so you dont have to take extra steps. It is useful to consult with the landlord, about gas, water and light providers and proceed from there.