In This Post:
– What do furnished homes include?
– Pros of furnished homes
– Cons of furnished homes
– How to find or rent out homes
Have you ever moved houses before? If your answer is yes, you would most probably agree that moving heavy furniture and appliances is the most challenging part of moving into a new place. Not only do you have to arrange your furniture, but also most likely have to assemble it and then try to figure out if it would fit your new room. It’s a hassle, to say the least. It is also one of the main reasons why a lot of people prefer renting furnished homes nowadays.
Whether you opt for renting a furnished apartment or a furnished house, you will be saved from the stress of lugging heavy furniture to your new place. In fact, it is considered one of the top rental property features that attract tenants. However, on the flip side, you’ll probably have to spend a little more on rent every month as this facility can increase the rental prices of homes.
Before we begin, let’s understand what fully furnished apartments include.
What Do Furnished Rental Properties Include?
More often than not, fully-furnished apartments for rent come with basic furniture such as a living room sofa and coffee table, dining table and chair, bed and dresser, basic kitchen appliances and cabinetry. Some units may also include a washing machine, dishwasher and other electronic appliances to facilitate the tenants. However, the things you get while renting furnished homes depend largely on the landlord, the rent and the overall demand for the property.
Some furnished homes boast expensive furniture, luxurious carpets, modern light fixtures and the latest kitchen appliances. Meanwhile, other units may only include basic necessities and décor.
While renting furnished homes, you usually get what you see. Not to mention, you can also ask the landlord or your real estate agent which items will be included with the place. In fact, you can also ask them to provide you with a written list of items present inside the apartment or the house during the final property inspection before you sign off the rental agreement.
Pros of Renting Furnished Homes
Let’s take a look at some benefits of renting furnished houses and apartments.
Save Money on New Furniture
One of the major advantages of furnished apartments and houses is that you don’t have to splurge on new furniture.
When moving into furnished apartments or houses, you don’t have to worry about your dining table fitting into the new dining area or (worst case scenario) not passing through the doors of your new place. Even if you measure everything beforehand, there is a good chance that the furniture you currently have will not either fit into your new home or simply won’t look nice. That, in turn, will prompt you to buy new furniture, which can be extremely expensive.
Therefore, renting furnished homes helps you save some money upfront by not investing in furniture and other appliances.
Perfect for Temporary Relocation
Renting furnished homes is extremely popular among people looking for short-term rentals. For example, if you have to move to another city to pursue higher education or for a better employment opportunity, you wouldn’t want to invest in furniture and other necessities knowing that you’ll be leaving in a few months or a year. The same goes for business professionals who only plan on staying at a certain place for a limited amount of time.
If you are someone who has to relocate frequently for whatever reason, renting a fully or semi-furnished apartment might be your best bet. Moreover, most people renting out their furnished property are only looking for short-term tenants, which means you won’t have to commit to the place by signing a long-term contract.
Hassle-Free Move
As discussed above, moving is not an easy process. You need to pack all of your belongings, disassemble your furniture, carry all the boxes to your new place and then spend days unpacking them. Unpacking after moving into an unfurnished apartment can be quite stressful and tiresome. On top of that, you may also have to pay an exorbitant amount of money to the moving companies to help you move heavy furniture up and down a flight of stairs and then reassemble it all.
Comparatively, moving into a furnished apartment or a house is both cost and time-effective. You only have to pack your personal belongings and transport a small number of boxes to the new place. There is no need to hire a moving company or to ask your family and friends for favours. Once you move in, you’ll only have to put your clothes and other essentials in their respective places and voila, you’re done!
To ensure an easy process, you can take a look at some critical mistakes you must avoid when moving into a new place. Also, check out our tips on how to pack your kitchen to make your move even smoother.
Cons of Renting Furnished Homes
Since there are two sides to every coin, here are a few downsides of renting furnished apartments and houses that you should be aware of before starting your search.
Higher Monthly Rent
This one is a no-brainer.
The monthly rent for a furnished apartment or house is bound to be more than that of an unfurnished unit. Even if you consider a semi-furnished apartment for rent, it’s still going to cost you considerably higher than the alternative.
In case you have your own furniture in perfectly good shape and don’t mind hauling it to your new home, then renting an unfurnished place might not be a bad idea. In the same way, if you are planning to rent a house or an apartment for a longer period of time, investing in your own furniture wouldn’t be a bad deal.
By living in an unfurnished apartment, you’ll be able to save a considerable amount every month in rent.
Not to mention, you won’t be able to customize the décor to reflect your personality and will have to compromise on the arrangement and layout of each room.
Repairing Damaged Furniture
If you have children or pets, you can almost guarantee that the lavish-looking, beige-coloured sofa that came with the house won’t be beige (or lavish-looking) in a few weeks’ time. You can accidentally break a chair, your pet can scratch the wardrobe doors, your kid can break the top glass of the coffee table, and someone can spill juice or coffee on the couch. Once you start living in a furnished home, you become answerable to your landlord for every single item that you use.
In such scenarios, you will have to repair or replace the said pieces of furniture or pay your landlord a fine for not being able to take care of the place. Given the high monthly rent, these additional expenses will only strain your wallet and put a dent in your bank account.
Condition of furniture and appliances
One of the main reasons why people prefer moving into newly constructed houses vs older ones is because of the manufacturer’s warranties for different appliances and fittings. However, if you are planning to rent a furnished home, you might not be the first tenant to live there.
The biggest concerns most people have regarding furnished homes are the quality of furniture and appliances as well as their present condition. Since the rents for such properties are high, you need to make sure everything is in working order and not coming off its hinges (so to speak). You should also ask the landlord if any of the electronic appliances installed in the home are under warranty.
In addition to that, you may not be comfortable sleeping in a bed some stranger used to sleep in or sitting on a couch that looks like it’s been used before. If any item in your furnished apartment or house appears unclean or unusable, you most likely won’t be able to utilize it despite paying for it on a monthly basis.
How to Find or Rent Out a Property
If you are looking to rent out your furnished house or apartment, you can start off by listing your property on Zameen.com – the leading real estate portal in Pakistan. Our detailed guide on how to rent out your house may also come in handy and help you kick-start the process.
Similarly, you can use Zameen.com to find the perfect home situated in the desired housing scheme or a project.
In case you are still confused between renting an apartment vs renting a house, our comprehensive analysis on the topic might clarify things a little better. Also, if you are worried about moving from a house and adjusting to apartment life, our quick guide will definitely help you feel a little better.
For any queries and comments, send us a message at blog@zameen.com. Meanwhile, stay connected to Zameen Blog – the top property and lifestyle blog in Pakistan – to learn more about investment opportunities and real estate trends in the country.
