The advantages and disadvantages of furnished and unfurnished rentals
"To be furnished or not be furnished, that is the question!" Well, Shakespeare likely never had this sort of problem, choosing whether to rent a furnished or unfurnished apartment is a common conflict for modern folks.
Do you go for a place you can fill with your own furniture? Or do you choose one that's already organized for you? Both have their fair share of pros and cons.
For furnished rentals, you don't have to worry about extra costs. While for unfurnished properties, the lent is likely lower. It's up to you to weigh both options and see which one you prefer.
Pros
Lower Costs
Perhaps the biggest benefit of renting a furnished apartment is that you have fewer and lower costs to think about. Shopping for furniture is no joke! Just filling up an entire room can cost you tens, if not thousands of bucks. Even more so when you relocate to Paris, London, or any other major city. But if the place you're moving into already has furniture set up for you, then you don't have to worry about all that stuff. The same goes for moving costs too. You pay less since you don’t have to include furniture in the move!
Easier For You To Move In
Not having to think about furniture also means you'll have an easier time moving in. More often than not, you have to wait until all the furniture has been delivered and set up before you can settle down, even when it’s a minimalist apartment. That in and of itself will already require much of your time and effort as well. But with a furnished rental, all you need to do is to bring all your stuff and you're good to go! See how much easier it is?
Shorter Leases
The most common length for leases for furnished rentals is one year. There's also what's called a "Mobility Lease" where the term is shorter, but for the most part, leases for furnished rentals are for one year. If you're one to move around for work or school, this is advantageous for you. Moreover, you need just one month to notify your landlord about moving out. In contrast, leases for unfurnished rentals commonly require notification around three months prior. And the landlord cannot terminate your lease before your term ends too!
Cons
The Furniture Isn’t Yours
You can't help but be more careful when moving into a furnished rental because the furniture isn't yours. It's not your table that you're working on for hours on end. It's not your shelving unit that you fill with your own books, knick-knacks, and other stuff. At times, it's not even your plates that you use to eat your meals. With all this in mind, it's difficult to feel at home—at least, during the initial weeks—knowing that most of this stuff isn't yours.
Higher Rental Fees
With furnished rentals come higher rental fees. All the stuff inside comes with the rent, after all. Compared to renting unfurnished apartments where there's barely anything at all, the difference in monthly fees is practically astronomical. When you pay your rent in a furnished apartment, you're not just paying to simply stay there. You're also paying for sitting on their couches, storing your clothes in their closets, using their stoves to cook your food, and more.
Damage Risk Costs
Let's paint a scenario for this one! Imagine moving into a luxury rental in Miami with a great kitchen, complete with state-of-the-art equipment. Since you can afford the rent, you'd think that you hit the jackpot. Especially if you're a foodie who loves to cook. But then, during one of your cooking sessions, you accidentally break the oven. It's so new that you're barely familiar with the equipment so this sort of accident was inevitable. And then you have to pay for the repair and lo and behold, the price is thrice your monthly rental fee. Can you handle it?
Unfurnished Rentals
Pros
Customizable Design
Instead of thinking of unfurnished rentals as empty lots, think of them more as open canvases instead. You can unleash your inner interior designer and design your new home according to your preferences. Want to go for that new Scandinavian interior design style full of earthy colors? Go for it! Excited to bring in as many bright furniture pieces for your eclectic interior look? What's stopping you? Furnishing unfinished apartments will have your creative juices flowing. Before you know it, you already have your dream home!
Ensure The Quality of Furniture
Let's be real for a sec: as far as furnished rentals go, you can't always ensure the quality of the furniture. Some would even go so far as to rent out apartments with old stuff inside. The kind that will break the moment you touch it. And when that does happen, it's up to you to replace the furniture that broke, leading to more costs. Is that fair? Of course not! You're better off renting an unfurnished apartment and filling it up with pieces you're sure will last you a long time!
Lower Rental Fees
Since there's no furniture inside the moment you signed the lease contract, it makes sense that the rent is low. Or at least, lower than that of a furnished rental. You're essentially only paying for the space. It's up to you to fill it with your own furniture. And while that may include more costs, it's only for the moving period. Once you've settled down, all you have to worry about is the rent and the utilities. Doesn't sound like a bad deal, does it?
Cons
Higher Costs
With that said, furniture doesn't come cheap. At least, depending on where you buy it. If you want top-quality stuff, be prepared to spend a pretty penny on it. The finest furniture stores in Paris, London, New York, and any other city out there don't come cheap. You may argue that Ikea is fairly affordable but then there are the delivery fees and assembly charges to think about. Buying secondhand furniture is a cheaper option, but you can't always ensure the quality.
Leases are Longer
You never know what may happen in the future. There might come a time when you have to move out and go somewhere else. But the question is: will your lease allow you? At least, with furnished rentals, the common leases are only for one year. You can probably wait it out if you can. But for unfurnished rentals, the shortest lease you can get is three years. You can renew it every time the term ends for nine years in total. So if you don't have plans to stay in your apartment for as long as that, it's probably best not to get an unfurnished rental.
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Posted on 23/12/2022 by
Andy LECUYER
