Tips On The Zambian Rental Property Market

When you relocate and come to Zambia, you have two housing options; one is to buy a property and the other is to rent.
If your Zambian assignment is for the short-term, or you are not sure how long are you are staying in Zambia, then purchasing a house may not be in your best interest, unless you do so for investment purposes. Renting is therefore popular with expatriates but the fact that renting is less of a commitment than a home purchase doesnt mean you shouldnt invest time to make sure you rent the right house first time round.

Know What to Expect in Zambian Property Market

Before you start the physical search for your new family home, get a good grasp of the rental market in your local area so you know whether there is an abundance of properties to choose from, or that you will need to act quickly as properties come up for rent. Gauge what you can expect to get for your money when you rent a house in your host country.

Securing a level of comfort found in Western Europe, however, will be very expensive, as even the most basic of consumer goods will then have to be imported. Those willing to spend on luxury accommodation will expect to pay around ZK 6,634,330 or more a month for rent, and the overall cost of living would run to about ZK 27,510,000 (US$6,000). Managing your expectations is an important element of preparing for your house search.

Know What to Consider

Consider what you want in and from your temporary home and make a list of your needs:

Do you want a furnished or unfurnished house?
What amenities do you want close by: shops and leisure facilities?
Do you want a house near to school or work?
Is the price the deciding factor?
Do you need to be near public transport facilities or want a parking space?
Are you bringing pets with you?
Do you want a town or rural setting?

Once you establish an approximation of what you are looking you are better equipped to find a property as close to your requirements as possible. If you know the property you are looking for will cost you more than you initially planned you are better placed to plan budget cuts elsewhere to allow for a higher rent, or revise your list of requirements.

Know Where to Look

There are a number of ways to source rental properties in Zambia. Many expats find a home through a relocation company. Word of mouth is also an effective and trusted route or you can use your employers intranet and sites like Goleka.com. Pick up copies of local expat magazines too for a list of places to look for rentals.

Know What You Need
Some rental markets in Lusaka are so competitive that landlords can be choosy about who they rent to in order to maximise the chances of model tenants living in their properties. The paperwork requirements in such cases can be overwhelming and time consuming to assemble. Finding out exactly what landlords will want to see in your host country early on in the process will save you time once you have found the property you want to live in. In most cases, ID and recent bank statements will be a compulsory part of the reference check.
In addition, you will most likely be required to produce references from former landlords and your employer, so collate all the necessary contact details in advance to hand over to a prospective landlord.

Know your Rights
Finally, know what your legal rights are as a tenant and what you can expect in terms of health and safety and contract terms. Check the rental contract thoroughly and have it checked over by a local legal professional so that you know exactly what you are signing.
Serviced apartments are often hassle free solution to ease the relocaiton process and to start your house seach when arriving at your destination. You can browse a loarge selecation of furnsished apartments from Goleka.com.