Year of English, Day 115: Apartment hunting

Sumario –> Lección del día 115 relativo a la Búsqueda de Departamento y algunos de los términos / expresiones más usadas tanto durante una conversación como en la lectura de diarios donde aparecen ofertas inmobiliarias.

Detalle –>

Today, let´s learn a little more vocabulary for talking about real estate.
This guide is written for people who are trying to find an apartment in New York City:
http://www.nakedapartments.com/guides/nyc/beginning-your-search/the-basics-of-apartment-hunting

Here’s some of the useful vocabulary you’ll learn from the article:
– apartment hunting : looking for an apartment
– an intense process: something that takes a lot of time and concentration
– fly off the market: get sold or rented very quickly
– it’s vital: it’s very important
– have your documents in order: have all of the paperwork you need, in an organized way
– get everything squared away: prepare yourself
– list an apartment: put an advertisement out saying that the apartment being rented
– comparable: similar
– inventory: something that´s available to be sold
– missed the boat: missed an opportunity
– the dregs: the bad leftovers of something
– couch surfing: sleeping on someone’s sofa
– a batch: a group of things that come together
– a broker: someone who helps people to do a deal
– a ton of (something): a lot of something
– it’s essential: it’s very important
– securing (something): getting something that’s hard to get
– chances are: probably
– all parties: all of the people in an agreement
– (one’s) share: the part that belongs to someone
– in violation: breaking or going against a rule or agreement
– eviction: getting kicked out of an apartment or house

There’s more reading about apartment hunting on the site, if you’d like to challenge yourself more.

–> The Basics of Apartment Hunting
Be prepared ahead of time
Unlike apartment hunting in other cities, applying for any apartment in NYC is an intense process that requires a lot of documents. Apartments fly off the market, so it’s vital that you have all your documents and finances in order before you even see your first apartment. Give yourself at least ten days to get everything squared away.

When to start looking
Most NYC apartments aren’t listed until four or five weeks before move-in day. If you start searching sooner, anything you look at will likely be gone by the time you want to move. However, you can and should look at comparable apartments in high-occupancy, high-rise buildings that have a lot of turnover. The apartments in these buildings will be very similar, so it’s a good idea to check them out ahead of time so you can decide if they meet your needs.

Apartments go fast
Once inventory hits the market, the best deals disappear immediately, so be prepared to start searching five weeks before your move date. And if you’ve missed the boat, and are caught searching the dregs of the inventory, consider couch surfing or a short-term rental so you can catch next month’s batch that will hit 4-5 weeks before the 1st of the month.

If you’re working with a broker, keep in mind that many won’t work with you if your move-in date is months away because apartment availability is hard for brokers to predict.

Ready set…roommates
Confirm your roommates ahead of time, and lock down every roommate’s information. Each individual will need to provide a ton of documentation, and you’ll all need to be ready to act fast. It’s essential that you have responsible and trustworthy roommates, and in many ways, securing an apartment will be the true test of how trustworthy your roommates will be.

Choose the right roommates
If you have a roommate who is having trouble putting together all the necessary documentation to sign a lease, chances are that person won’t be a reliable roommate. Suppose you sign the lease, and things are smooth for a while. If your roommate hits a rough patch and can’t pay his or her share of the rent, then all parties are in violation of the lease (even those who are paying their share) and are at risk for eviction.

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Gus Terrera

Apasionado por el agile testing y la ia.

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