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Finding a Place to Live in the USA |
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 When you first come to the United States, you will probably begin very quickly to look for a place to live, unless your business has already made those arrangements for you. In certain cases, private organizations may also provide temporary housing while you make more permanent arrangements. You may stay at first in a hotel room, a temporary apartment, or with family members that are already here in the United States. And as you search for a place to live, questions may come up, including: How do I find an apartment? Will I ever own my own home, and if so, how? Here we will address a few of these questions.
Renting an Apartment or a House
Finding the Right Place
One of the first considerations when renting an apartment or a house is safety. The least expensive (and affordable) apartments and houses are often located in areas that may not always be the safest. This is where you will need to talk to others, and find out which areas of your town or city are considered low crime areas. You can research this by talking to neighbors near apartment buildings you are interested in. Drive through the area. Are the houses and apartments neat and clean, or is there gang graffiti and bars on every window? The local police and community groups may also have information about different neighborhoods as well.
How close the apartment or house is to your work is another factor to look at. You won't want to spend two hours driving to work and another two driving home each day if you can help it, since the extra gas may add up to more than the savings in a "cheap" rental. Often finding the right apartment means looking at different things, including which schools are nearby, what services are available (is there public transportation? Good healthcare? Shopping?) and then weighing all of these factors together. If you have family or friends who are renting, they may be able to give you advice as well based on their experience.
About Leases
When you find an apartment or house that you would like to rent, you will be required to sign a lease, or contract which specifies certain terms and conditions between you and the landlord (the person who owns the apartment or house). This lease will include information about such things as how long you will be renting, and conditions for renting. It is meant to be a legal document that protects both you and your landlord.
Sometimes longer leases come with lower monthly rates, and you will want to check on this. But you may want to only sign a six month or yearly lease, since at the end of a year you might want to move or even consider buying a home.
The lease will specify how much you will pay for a security deposit. This is money that most landlords ask you to pay that ensures that you will leave the apartment in good condition (or the amount is deducted when you leave for cleaning and painting). The security deposit can vary from place to place but it is usually about one month's rent. The lease also will state how much you are paying each month for the rental of your apartment.
The lease will specify how many occupants your apartment can have, and whether young children or pets are allowed. It's important to read the lease completely, and make sure you understand it before signing. Your signature on the lease is stating that you agree with its terms and conditions. If language is a problem, it's a good idea to have a bilingual friend or family member with you who can help translate and explain different terms.
Another type of rental is known as a sublease. This occurs when you sign a lease with the person who leases the apartment, not the apartment owner, and may be for a shorter period of time (such as month to month or for three months). Always keep a copy of your lease in a safe place, since it is a legal document and can protect you in case of disputes. Verbal agreements will not, which is why a written lease is the only one that you should accept when renting.
Furnishing your apartment or house
Apartments and houses come as either furnished or unfurnished. If they are furnished, your furniture is provided, but the monthly rate is also usually higher. Unfurnished apartments and houses normally come with the appliances such as a refrigerator and stove, but you will need to buy or lease your own furniture.
There are several places you can go to buy furniture once you have rented a place. You can go to department stores, check out ads in your local paper, and ask people in your community where the best buys in furniture are. Sometimes you can buy furniture at a good price at discount warehouses, at auctions, or through classified ads in the local newspaper. Be sure to compare prices at different locations before making a final decision, since the same or a very similar piece of furniture may be offered on sale for a lower price at different stores.
Utilities
Utilities such as electricity, water, and cable TV may or may not be included with your monthly rental fee. If not, then you will need to obtain these services for your apartment or house. You can ask your landlord for the number of the local utility companies, or check the front pages of your local phone book. You will need to call these companies, and let them know the day that you need the hookup, and where you will be living. They will then send you a bill that may also include a set up fee or security deposit, depending on the area.
Reading a Rental Ad
It can help to understand some of the more common terms used in advertisements for rental apartments. Since classified ads often charge by the word, or even the inch, abbreviations are commonly used in ads.
For instance, you may see an ad that says, "2 BR for rent, A/C, furn., utilities, $1250, sec. deposit $600, no pets". These abbreviations mean that a 2 Bedroom (BR) apartment is for rent. Air Conditioning (A/C) is included, the apartment is furnished (if unfurnished, it would read "unfurn.") and utilities are included in the rental price, which is $1250 a month. They are asking for a security deposit of $600. In this ad, they specify that pets are not allowed. Some apartments will allow small pets, but they will also ask that you pay a special increased security deposit and agree to pay for any damage.
One of the best places to find apartments is in the Sunday edition of your local paper, which will have a real estate or rentals section in its classified ads. You can also ask friends at work and family members for ideas, and many real estate agencies will also help you find an apartment or house for rent. There are also specialized rental agencies that can help with finding an apartment, but be careful, since some of their ads are "flyers" (meaning an under priced apartment that is fictitious and doesn't really exist) meant to lure you into calling. Ask who the more reputable rental agents are, and be upfront with them about exactly what you are looking for, and your budget.
Buying a House
After living here for a while, you may want to consider buying a house. It is a good investment in the long run, since instead of paying a landlord, you are building up equity in your own property.
Real Estate Agents
Most homebuyers in the United States go through a Real Estate company, which employs agents and brokers to assist in finding and buying a house. Some of the largest reputable ones include Century 21 and Coldwell Banker, which are located in most cities. Many areas also have local real estate agencies which are smaller, but can be excellent. One way of finding an agent is to ask friends or family who have bought a home who helped them, and listen to their recommendations. Local community organizations may also have information, including whether there are bilingual agents who can help you if language is a concern.
Real estate agents have access to large data banks such as the MLS list, which lets them know which houses are on the market, for what price, and important information about the house such as its size, number of rooms, the lot size, and more. You can also look yourself by going through company catalogs or books set up with houses pictured and listed.
Your real estate agent will want to know the price range of the home you are looking for, the number of rooms, lot size, and other information. The more you have planned and written down ahead of time, the easier the hunting process will be. Once you find a house that you are interested in, they can also guide you through the process of making an offer for the home, listening to the seller's counteroffer, and negotiating the home price. They can also help with the paper work that is involved, and will often help you find a title company, which will check that the title on your proposed purchase is clear (that there are no liens or other problems).
Most states have disclosure laws that make it illegal for the seller to lie or try to cover up defects in the home, such as the age and condition of the roof, or other structural problems. Be sure to ask plenty of questions about the house, and note the answers, since this can help protect you. You may want to go to your local library, and research home buying. There are excellent books on this topic that can give helpful hints on what to look for in a home, and the types of questions to ask.
Some states set up escrow accounts as a sign of good faith when you find the house that you want. This means putting down part of the purchase price into a special account that will go towards the purchase of the home after the closing (when the papers are signed and you actually purchase the home). Other states wait until the closing before the transfer of funds occurs.
Getting a Loan to Purchase a House
You will probably need a special type of loan called a mortgage to buy a house. A bank or other lending institution such as a mortgage company will check your credit history before deciding whether to offer you a loan, and the amount of the loan. This loan is paid back to the bank on a monthly basis over many years, such as twenty or thirty years.
The credit check may include verifying employment, your monthly income, and how long you have been employed by calling your employer. The bank will also look at the comp (comparative) value for similar homes in the area that you are buying in, to make sure that the loan is a good investment for them as well. Housing prices can vary greatly from city to city, in different states, and between different neighborhoods. Some loan programs such as Fannie Mae and HUD have strict guidelines as to the condition that the house must be in before the homeowner can purchase it, and most loan companies require certain inspections such as termite inspections and roof repairs if needed before approving a home loan.
Some banks have programs set up especially to help new immigrants with buying a house. They are willing to work with legal immigrants who are not yet US citizens, and who have not yet built up a credit history in our country. Find out which banks are willing to give loans to the immigrants in your city, and where others have gotten their home or car loans. Some of these loans have been underwritten by local banks with the help of the Fannie Mae Foundation that has a national New American's Initiative to help homebuyers new to our country with housing loans. They also provide classes for new homebuyers on how to buy a home. The New American's Initiative has home buying guides in nine languages to help with overcoming the language barrier. Fannie Mae has also identified some of the larger banks in our country that are trying new innovations in helping immigrants with buying a home.
You may also want to contact a local community-based organization or minority council for help with finding institutions that will help with home loans. In some larger cities, these groups hold classes on finances and home ownership.
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