If you’re in the midst of moving right now, it may feel like Murphy’s Law is REALLY working against you.  Rental hunting coupled with coronavirus definitely is not for the faint of heart.

Especially during stressful times, it can feel people can’t related to your situation because your situation is uniquely difficult.  They haven’t just moved, or they don’t have kids, or they’re in a different career. However, coronavirus is one of those universal events that most the world can relate to you on. Coronavirus massively disrupted many aspects of life. If you’re currently rental hunting, out of a normal routine and in transition, you may find yourself feeling especially overwhelmed.

Here’s a few tips to keep you sane while hunting for your perfect rental sweet rental during a pandemic and avoid ending up in a rental you regret.

Many offices have moved to work from home scenarios. Luckily realtors and property managers are used to working on the move. Just because an office is closed, doesn’t mean their business is closed.  Phone and email communications are likely still being promptly managed.  If you can’t pop into a property management office, don’t hesitate to phone them, as many are readily available. Property managers are still working hard to ensure rentals don’t sit empty and tenants are able to commit to properties. Of course, be mindful of social distancing protocols for your area, but it’s likely a realtor will offer solutions for viewing properties. 

Take advantage of online resources to fill the gaps. Here are some top picks for you to look into:

• Zillow. With over 100,000 rental listings nationwide, Zillow is an excellent tool to narrow down available rentals in your desired area. Keep in mind, you are getting the property information from one perspective, the listing agent.  
• Google Maps. Take a look at the Street View images. You can learn a lot by “walking” around the neighborhood on Google.  Look at the other houses on the street, businesses in the area, the yard maintenance and parking situations.  While Google Maps is a snapshot in time, it can give you a good feel for the neighborhood.
• RentalDiaries. RentalDiaries reviews section is a powerful tool.  The experience of others can give an intimate look at the ins and outs of what a property offers. When renters share their rental experiences it simplifies the decision as to whether a property will meet your expectations.
• Social Media:  If you’ve found your travel delayed but don’t want to delay your rental hunt, social media can be particularly helpful. Now may be a good time to make some new friends or reach out to some old ones. Join a Facebook group for the local area and see if there is someone that would be willing to walk the property on a video call.  Having an objective party do the tour helps to ensure undesirable portions of the rental are not skipped over by a party eager to rent their property. 

If you were already working with a realtor or property manager, be upfront and honest about the challenges coronavirus presents to you and your rental hunt.  Perhaps you or a family member’s health is particularly vulnerable and it has deterred your rental hunt.  Or maybe you have been affected by travel bans placed on Department of Defense members. By communicating with your rental hunt team, they may be able to offer solutions to ease the process and your mind.

Where there is hardship, there will ALWAYS be someone readily available to take advantage of people. While you may find your rental hunt to be unconventional right now, don’t let your guard down. If a landlord is expecting you to pay significant amounts of money without giving you the opportunity to view the house, something more than coronavirus is probably coming into play. Scammers are clever and the last thing you want is to find out the house you rented, wasn’t for rent at all.

Finally, while you may be focused on moving forward, the delays in doing so may affect your present living situation.  Be sure to keep your current landlord in the loop of any obstacles you may be facing.  They may be more flexible regarding your move out dates if you keep the lines of communication open.

Moving, coupled with a worldwide coronavirus outbreak, is a lot of stress on any person’s plate.  If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed and anxious take a pause to step away from moving related tasks and reading the news. The CDC offers some important information for managing and coping with stress that I encourage you to read here. If you are feeling overwhelmed with emotions like sadness, depression, or anxiety, or feel like you want to harm yourself or others call 911.

We are all in this together. Know that you are not alone on this journey, we’re all on this wild cruise together, buckle up!