A December or January move rarely stalls because of a shortage of flats. It stalls because of documents, approvals and signatures landing in the busiest weeks of the year. With that in mind, Urban Estate, a provider of affordable rental apartments in Johannesburg’s northern suburbs, is using November to explain its rental process step by step, from a renter’s first enquiry through to signing the lease.
There is a reason for the timing. In Johannesburg, a large share of leases run out in December or January, and the new year brings new jobs and new academic years, so many people start house hunting at once. Renters who already know the steps and have their paperwork in hand tend to move through the process much faster than those who only start collecting documents once they have found a unit they want.
The renters Urban Estate serves
Urban Estate exists to help individuals and families find somewhere they can call home. It focuses on affordable apartments that are safe and well maintained, and adds features such as braai areas and rooftop social spaces. The one to three bedroom units are designed for young professionals and young families who want affordable accommodation with smart living features, social spaces and, in the company’s words, a tinge of luxury.
Most of the portfolio sits in Johannesburg’s Region E, in areas such as Bramley, Orange Grove, Houghton Estate and Raumaraispark. The buildings are close to business nodes, transport routes and the everyday amenities of the northern suburbs.
First, pick a building and send an enquiry
Everything begins on the Urban Estate website, where every building has a dedicated page listing its unit types and starting rentals alongside an enquiry form. A renter fills in the form on the page of the property that interests them, adding details such as how many bedrooms they need, whether they want parking and what they can afford. Urban Estate then gets in touch to book a time for them to meet an agent at the property.
Because each building has its own page, renters weighing up apartments to rent Johannesburg wide can narrow their list by area before booking a single viewing. Depending on the building, the choice runs from bachelor units and one bedroom flats through to two and three bedroom apartments.
Second, bring the whole household to the viewing
At the viewing, Urban Estate asks renters to come with everyone who will share the home. That way a spouse, partner or housemate sees the unit for themselves and can put their own questions to the agent on site. The company believes this heads off misunderstandings about expectations further down the line, and the agent will answer questions from every member of the group.
Renters who are not happy with the first apartment they see are not left to start again. Urban Estate will arrange viewings at other apartments in its portfolio, which matters in peak season, when a building in another suburb may turn out to suit someone’s commute or budget better than the one they first picked.
Third, submit an application with complete paperwork
When a renter has settled on a unit and has their documents to hand, Urban Estate assists with the application. Applications can also be made online via the company’s tenant portal. The website lists the required documents, and collecting them now is far easier than trying to do it in the post-holiday scramble:
- Proof of income
- Bank statements covering three months, plus a copy of the employment contract where the applicant has been in the job for less than three months
- Proof of the applicant’s current residential address
- The applicant’s current employer details
- Details of every person who will live in the unit
- Next of kin details
According to Urban Estate, applicants hear whether their application has been approved within just a couple of hours of submitting it. Approval rests on a good credit record, an affordability check and verification of the details supplied.
Fourth, sign and pay the deposit
After approval, the renter signs the lease and pays the deposit that has been agreed. Urban Estate puts weight on recording this step clearly. When a renter chooses a home from the portfolio, the company produces a rental agreement that lays out the deposit, the rental and the utility charges transparently, in line with its goal of making renting simple and enjoyable.
The rentals shown on each building page do not include water or prepaid electricity, so renters should allow for both in their monthly budget. With prepaid electricity, tenants control their own usage directly, which makes household costs easier to plan through a long, hot summer.
Buildings across the northern suburbs
The Urban Estate portfolio spreads across several northern suburbs and a mix of unit sizes. At 52 on Glen, renters can choose bachelor, one bedroom or two bedroom units. Kew is home to three buildings: Kew Lofts, with bachelor and one bedroom loft apartments; 1st on Kew, with two bedroom apartments; and 1st Avenue Executive, with bachelor and one bedroom flats. On Louis Botha Avenue, Views of Houghton has bachelor, one and two bedroom units, and Orange Grove Heights also offers bachelor, one and two bedroom flats. @ Manhattan has two and three bedroom apartments, while 440 Louis Botha offers bachelor units.
Among Kew apartments for rent, 1st Avenue Executive is notable for what it offers on site: a full business hub, Wi-Fi, an in-house gym studio, security with access control, secure parking, a braai and chill area, kids’ play areas and a crèche. Schools are nearby, the highway is easy to reach, Sandton City is roughly 3.5 kilometres away and Louis Botha Avenue is about 700 metres from the building.
Getting ahead of the new year
Timing is often the biggest hurdle for people looking at apartments in Johannesburg at year end. Viewings, applications and lease signings all fall into the same short window in which families are booking holidays and businesses are winding down for the festive season. Beginning in November gives renters room to see more than one building, pull their documents together without pressure and lock in a unit ahead of the January rush.
Urban Estate keeps its guidance simple: shortlist buildings that match your preferred area and budget, enquire online, take everyone who will live with you to the viewing and get your documents ready early. Every building, its unit types and the enquiry forms can be found at https://urbanestate.co.za/.
About Urban Estate
Urban Estate is a Johannesburg rental company offering affordable, safe and well maintained residential apartments. Its one to three bedroom apartments are in the northern suburbs, including Bramley, Kew, Orange Grove and Houghton, close to business nodes, transport and amenities. The company keeps its rental process clearly documented, with rental agreements that set out the deposit, rental and utility charges, and accepts applications through its website and tenant portal.
Media Contact
Urban Estate
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://urbanestate.co.za/
