It’s funny how often we move these days. It seems like we’re always packing up our things and lugging them off to a new place.  One of the biggest hassles that comes with all this moving is actually finding a new place to live.  If you’ve ever gone through the process of trying to find a new home, you know how much of a hassle it can be.  Craigslist quickly becomes your best friend, especially if you’re looking to rent an apartment.

If you are looking to rent an apartment, though, you may want to consider renting a condo instead.

Why?

Benefits of condos

Well, with condos, you generally get a much nicer place for a similar (if not less) amount of money.  Apartments are generally managed by large organizations and are designed for efficiency, not luxury.  Sure, they’re a place to stay, but if you’re going to be paying all that money in rent, why not get a place that you can really be proud to show off to your friends and family?  Condos are designed to be someone’s long-term home, and that little detail turns into a lot of nice amenities that you can enjoy as a renter.

When I was searching for a place back in the summer, I looked through several corporate-managed apartments.  They weren’t bad, and for the most part I could have lived in them, as long as I didn’t get the room that was the size of a closet.  But there was just something off about them.  There wasn’t much attention to detail.  The carpet felt like AstroTurf.  The room layout felt rushed, cluttered.  The lighting was harsh.  They all felt like they were a little “cheap.”

Compare that to the condo that I ended up renting: faux hardwood floors, a wrap-around balcony, a huge master bedroom, a room with a built-in desk, marble counter-tops, and a handful of other little things that make it feel like a fairly “high-class” place.  The kicker?  The condo was cheaper than any of the apartments I looked at, not only in terms of total price for the place itself, but also for associated parking spots (if you live anywhere near or in a big city, you know that you’re going to pay a lot for parking).

There may be a few hassles with condos that you wouldn’t have with a centrally managed apartment.  You may have to deal with a crazy landlord.  You may not have a repairman on-site to fix an appliance that breaks.  You have to be a little more careful about not messing up the place.  You have to abide by the condominium association’s rules.

But you can easily tolerate all of those minor issues for a beautiful place that you can be proud to show off.

How to find a condo

It may be harder to find an available condo than it would be to find an available apartment.  Because condos are individual units owned and rented by people, you won’t be able to find listings for available condos in commercials or other widely-published media.

You could try looking in Craigslist.  Check the housing section.  Perhaps more importantly, post something on Craigslist saying you’re looking for a condo.  Don’t be afraid to be specific, but keep in mind that you should be generic enough to leave some room for flexibility.  Also, make sure to iterate how clean, professional, courteous, and responsible you and your roommates are.  No landlord wants tenants that are going to mess up his furniture or stiff him on rent.

You could also hire a real estate agent.  Often times, they’ll know where the open spots are, after all, it’s their job.  If you go this route, make sure to leave enough time for him to find you something that you like.  Don’t come to him on a Thursday, tell him your lease is expiring on Friday, and make him find a place for you on Monday.  That’s probably not going to happen.

You could also ask friends and family if they know anyone that’s willing to rent.  Even though this may not be very effective, if you do find someone that’s renting, you can probably get a good price from them.

In any case, the next time you decide to pack up and move, don’t count out condos.  They could be your best bet.