Getting a house in my part of the world doesn't come easy, though some people are likely to say otherwise, because everyone has their experiences, which makes our view different.
Some years back, when I was living with my aunt, I can remember vividly when our house expired and my aunt didn't want to renew the rent, but rather she decided she was gonna move out of the house for reasons best known to her. So she told her husband about her plans to leave the house. Well, the husband, on the other hand, has been someone who isn't always around at the house; he couldn't say no because the wife was the one living in the house every day, compared to the number of days the husband stays in the house.
So my aunt's husband gave the go-ahead, and it was time to start sourcing for an agent who would give her what she wanted. Her friend introduced her to an agent. A house agent in my nation refers to someone who helps clients buy or rent an apartment, which in turn comes with a charge.
After being introduced to the agent, she told the house agent her specifications of what she was looking for, so the agent assured her that she was going to get exactly what she wanted. The agent started the search for a nice apartment for my aunt and would call her whenever he saw something related to her specifications, and she would go check it out, and if it was something she liked, she would likely go with it, but if it wasn't, then the agent would have to continue the search.
Now my aunty didn't care about the location, what cared about the more was the apartment she wanted and the major thing she looked out for was "the water system" if it was stable because there are some houses that water system isn't stable, after some weeks of moving into the house you would find yourself hunting for water like your life depends on it. That was her major lookout because they say "water is life" we need water to run the house.
Another thing that I learned from my aunty while hunting for a house was that she carried alot of information about the neighborhood before moving in because you can't move into an apartment without making enough inquiries about the place, she ensured that informations gathered was positive but then the informations contained more negativity you would find her running for her life.
Like I mentioned above, firstly before getting a house, you would have go through a house agent, right now I don't think anyone can actually get a house without going through an agent expect there is mutual a relationship between the house owner and the potential tenant, aside from that every house has an agent now who is in charge of the documentation process before showing the house to the client with some hidden charges attached to it.
And there is one funny thing that I've noticed so far, that when you calculate the amount spent for hunting for a house and the amount that was actually paid for the house, you would notice that it's the agent fee that is being attached to a house is what is making houses a little more expensive these days.
Thanks for reading 🧡
This is such a real and relatable take on house hunting. Your aunt was really smart to focus on water supply and neighborhood info because those details go a long way. And fr, getting a house isn’t just about the rent, the agent fees and hidden charges scare me. Lol.
Have a lovely week ahead Tari🌸
Yeah those details are very important to her
Those agent will add money like say say they work in someone pocket. See ehn your aunt already knows what she wants already and she understands their system
I swear, maybe they want to build their own houses who knows
One thing I dare not console is the excesses of some of these so called agents. They are the reason why rent has skyrocketed around cities in the world. They make the unsuspecting tenants pay through their nose.
For me, I escaped their whips some years ago. I would rather speak to the house owner than go through the agents.
But then what if you have to communicate with the house owner through a third party, you won't do it? Even some house owners like passing through these house agents though
Having good information about the location one is looking out for is very important. Water is very important in every location one want to get to
I enjoyed reading from you
Aww thank you so much for the compliment
Exactly 💯
You have spoken well even as the house agents are making life unbearable to many by their exorbitant charges.
Thanks for sharing this with us
Yeah their charges are way high
We agent will have to eat now, one way or another , you understand ?
it's not agent fault, but landlord fault that refuse to settle from house rent money
Ooh you are an agent, I've caught one let me gather the people
Every house now has an agent and hardly would you find one through the owner. This is why these agents add exorbitant rate like their lives depended on it. It’s always so wicked of them but do we have a choice? Then when it comes to water system, I don’t joke with it because why rent a place where you have to go source for water outside? Nah.
Yeah, the water is very important when sourcing for a house