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The big house hunt
The first big challenge for a new immigrant is finding an apartment or
house to rent. (Even if you have the funds to buy a home outright, it
makes little sense doing so until you are certain about where you are
going to settle. As for getting a loan at this juncture, forget it).
The best place to start house-hunting is in the many rental listings
publications available in all major cities. The magazines, like Renter’s News and For Rent,
are free and can be found at street-corner kiosks or at grocery stores.
Save yourself some legwork and make it a point to call apartment rental
offices before you visit. Many building owners refuse to let out
apartments to newly-arrived immigrants or those without permanent jobs.
Neither of these is legal, but launching a lawsuit is probably not on
your agenda at this point.
Most rental offices let out apartments on one-year leases, with the
first and last months’ rent payable in advance. If you are having
trouble finding a landlord willing to rent, you might want to consider
paying up six months’ or even a full year’s rent in advance.
What if you cannot afford to cough up an entire year’s rent? Here are some ideas you can consider.
- Not all apartment owners advertise in the rental magazines.
Check your city’s Yellow Pages under ‘Apartments’ for more listings.
- Check the local papers for homeowners who have a basement
apartment or room to rent. Alternatively, you can place a classified
advertisement in one of the smaller community newspapers. Ad rates are
typically under $20.
- Put up a ‘Room/ApartmentWanted’ notice at community centres,
groceries or supermarkets. Not everyone carries a pen, so make sure you
provide enough ‘tear-off’ strips with your telephone number.
- Search the web for rental listings. Free Internet access is
available at most city libraries and at Human Resources Development
Canada (HRDC) centres.
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