How to grab a suitable expat apartment in Prague

If you’re transferring to Prague to take on a new job, you’ll spend valuable time apartment hunting unless you’re very lucky or very organised.

Arriving in a totally unfamiliar country and attempting to get affordable, suitable accommodation is a time-consuming expat nightmare, with Prague’s real estate sector no exception to the rule. However, some of the hard work, such as establishing your priorities, can be done via online research before you leave the home country. Writing list of must-haves helps eliminate unsuitable areas and styles even before you arrive, and at least you’ll have identified which facilities are non-negotiable.

If you’re using a real estate agent, making certain he or she is totally trustworthy is essential, as it’s not unknown for expats to be scammed in various ways. If you’re considering a property you’ve seen online, don’t send any money until you’ve actually seen the apartment and ensured it exists. Googling your realtor’s name and searching for client reviews can be useful, as can requesting contact with previous clients in order to get a reference.

It’s also important to check out potential landlords at cuzk.cz/en, thus ensuring the lease agreement is legal. If your future landlord isn’t on the official list, thinking again can save an expensive mistake. Another issue is the style of communication between you and your landlord as, if things go wrong in your new rental, you’ll need to communicate comfortably in order to get them fixed! You should also bear in mind that some Prague landlords only let to newly-arrived, homeless expats as they’re forced to pay higher rental charges.

Getting to know the neighbourhood as well as thoroughly inspecting the property for any faults is wise, with easily-fixed issues allowable but unseen problems such as the origin of water damage, electrical malfunctions and suchlike are seriously bad news. Your realtor can help determine average bills and extra local costs, as can other renters in the building, but trusting the landlord as regards such details isn’t a great idea. If you need an established expatriate community, heading for Vinohrady, Charles Square in New Town and Old Town’s Karlin should suit.