Canada’s housing market is currently booming, with many Canadians looking to buy, sell or rent at the same time. The supply can’t satisfy the demand, making it competitive for people looking to find a new home.
However, with a little patience and careful planning, you can still find the perfect rental in Winnipeg. There are plenty of beautiful neighbourhoods and apartments available — if you want to see what Paragon Living suites are up for grabs, check out our Rentals page.
If you want to get into an apartment you love, you’ll need to go in with a plan.
What Time of Year Is Best For Moving?
Many people think it’s best to move in the summer. Especially in a city like Winnipeg, warm weather definitely makes for more pleasant moving conditions. There are also usually more apartments available to rent, but also more people looking to move.
Although you’ll need to bundle up if you’re moving in the winter, you may end up saving money. Rates for moving companies are often lower in colder months. Although there may be less apartments on the market, there will likely be less renters (and therefore less competition).
How Do I Prepare To Look For An Apartment?
First, you’ll want to set a target for your move-in date. While it’s ideal to hit this target, flexibility is also great in case the perfect place opens up a little earlier or later than that date.
It’s best to hunt for an apartment when you’re ready to move, but not urgently needing to get out of your current place. This will increase your options and prevent you from experiencing renter’s remorse.
Start researching the market to see the typical timeframe between when an apartment is posted and what its move-in date is. Although every apartment and landlord are different, that gap will typically be around 30-90 days. We can break this down further, as most landlords require 60 days notice before the end of your lease date, you’ll want to start looking when you give your notice. If you’re on a month-to-month lease, you can be more flexible with your search start date.
What’s The Best Timeframe For Moving?
At 90 days out from your target move-in date, you’ll want to start preparing everything you’ll need for a rental application: your bank statements, credit score, damage deposit, proof of employment and references. Create a list of needs and wants for your new apartment, along with a list of desirable neighbourhoods. Begin looking at listings to see what’s available.
At 60 days out, you’ll want to begin touring apartments and ultimately sign a lease. Tour as many places as you need to know how to recognize a quality apartment for a fair price. Try to see apartments in person as much as you can because it’s hard to judge a space through pictures.
At 30 days out, you’ll need to start preparing to move. Set a budget for moving and arrange movers, alternate transportation and housing. For more tips on budgeting for the moving process, check out our recent blog.
If your lease is month-to-month, you must give your landlord at least one month’s notice before moving out. That means if your rent is due on May 1, you have to let your landlord know you’re leaving on or before March 31.
What Happens When I’m Ready To Move?
Make sure to communicate with your landlord about what day you’ll be vacating your old place and coordinate any necessary visits or walk-throughs. If you’re subletting your apartment until your lease is up, you may need to look for tenants. Clean your suite thoroughly before and after you move your things out to ensure you get your damage deposit back.
Once you’ve moved out and given the keys back to your landlord, you’re officially ready to start settling into your new place. Happy apartment hunting!
