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For the uninitiated, it’s not immediately clear why timing matters here. After all, rental fees aren’t typically determined by climatic seasons. But upon closer examination, the importance of this issue bares itself. And it may be crucial to the quality of your experience as a tenant in any specific location.
Prospecting for Accommodation: Why Timing Matters
Broadly speaking, Nigeria experiences two seasons: the rainy season and the dry season. The dry season is characterized by little rainfall, greater sunshine, and reduced humidity. Features of this period include the harmattan haze and windy conditions. It lasts between November and March. The rainy season, on the other hand, has a lot more rain and humidity. It covers the period from April to October. These conditions pose differing challenges to people searching for a place to live.The Pros and Cons of House Hunting in the Dry Season
When looking for a place to call home, you probably have to get around a bit. That’s how you visit and inspect your options. You wouldn’t want this movement—which may last days or weeks –to be disrupted by wet weather. So, the dryness of the early and late months of the year might seem like a blessing. On the flip side, the dry season is when a lot of the faults with housing are best hidden. It might be difficult to notice a leaking roof or find out if the neighbourhood is flood-prone. This means that you may settle for subpar accommodation, and not realize it until months after you’ve paid rent and moved in.Sign up for the Connect Nigeria daily newsletter
The Pros and Cons of House Hunting in the Rainy Season
As we’ve noted, searching to rent an apartment in the rainy season is a good idea if you’re keen on spotting defects early enough. Besides observing for leaking roves and flooding, you can also find out if there’s a problem with mosquitoes and other insects—something that’s usually caused by bad drainage. There’s also the concern over power outages that occur in some areas due to heavy storms. The major downside of seeking out an abode during the rainy season is the difficulty of reaching as many candidate apartments as possible. Unless you’re determined to see all that’s on offer from the agents you’re dealing with, you could end up visiting fewer places. And that means you may miss out on some decent locations.The Best Time of the Year to Rent an Apartment
So, what’s the best time of the year to rent an apartment in Nigeria? The consensus among people familiar with renting in real estate is that the rainy season is preferable. It’s almost always a less comfortable time to search than the dry season. But the stress of transiting between places in the rain is superseded by the satisfaction of finding a home that doesn’t have hidden structural or accessibility defects.Things You Should Look Out for When House Hunting in the Rain
Here are a few things you should watch for when inspecting a potential home for rent in the rainy season (or on a rainy day):- Leaky roof
- Clogged gutters
- Mildew smells and water stains
- Door or window leaks
- Drainage in the yard
- Flooding in the neighbourhood
- Insect infestation
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Final Words
When is the best time of the year to rent an apartment in Nigeria? You have your answer: it’s the rainy season. If you look for housing in the dry season, you’ll probably find one more quickly. But there’s a danger that you’ll fail to spot potential problems with it before settling in. Here’s our advice: brave the rains, and seek your best living space in the wetness of the second and third quarters. It’ll likely be worth all the hassle.Got a suggestion? Contact us: editor@connectnigeria.com