When you are looking to rent a new home it is likely that you will want to find the ideal property for you and your family.

Whilst you may harbour grand dreams of renting a penthouse apartment in the middle of the city, the reality of what you may be able to afford may be slightly different.

So to ensure that you don’t end up over budgeting and finding yourself unable to continue renting that property, we have put together our guide for securing a home that is not only your ideal but also limits the burden on your bank balance.

Work out that budget

Sounds obvious, but knowing how much you can afford on a monthly basis is vital in finding a property. It isn’t just the basic rental amount that you need to budge for, but also those other monthly bills that will need to be paid.

This includes; council tax, TV licence, gas, electricity and water.

What type of property are you looking for?

Once you have an idea of how much you can afford each month you can start to look at the type of property that you can rent.

The best place to start is thinking about what is important to you now and what is likely to be important to you in the future.

Things to consider include:

·         Number of bedrooms

·         The location of the bathroom

·         Parking space

·         Type of garden

·         Whether or not it has a garage

Another consideration is whether or not you opt for furnished or unfurnished. This will depend on the furniture that you already have. If it is your first property then there is a chance that you have limited possession so perhaps a furnished property is the most cost effective option for you.

That said, there are plenty of unfurnished properties that come with the more expensive appliances and additions to a home that could save you money too.

Where do you want to live?

Having an idea of the area that you want to live in is important when searching for a property. You should not only think about from the viewpoint of your current requirements but also things that are likely to become important for you in the future.

If there is a plan to have children in the near future then you might want to consider the school/childcare provisions that are in the area. Of course the opposite is also true for those who are not ready to have a family, properties located away from schools are often cheaper in monthly rent amount then those that are in close proximity.