Whether you’re a first-time tenant or looking for your next apartment in a new area, the search can be tricky. The entire moving process is stressful, from scouting for the ideal location and finding an apartment that meets all of your requirements to purchasing furniture and decorating for your new apartment.

Then there’s the dilemma of whether to rent a furnished or unfurnished flat in the first place. If you are thinking of moving into a completely furnished apartment, here is all you need to know.

What is a Furnished Apartment?

There are three sorts of furnished flats, and you may be wondering how much furniture is included in each.

There are completely furnished, furnished, and semi-furnished apartments. Furnished apartments come in a variety of sizes, ranging from a studio apartment to a two-bedroom apartment and, in some cases, a mansion. Each finished apartment can be outfitted in a variety of ways.

Fully furnished apartments are move-in ready and can contain all of your essential heavy furniture, such as a bed, couch, dining room table, bathroom appliances, coffee table, and dressers. However, they may go above and above, providing luxuries like as interior design and décor, basic kitchen appliances, and, in some cases, a washer and dryer.

Furnished units typically feature basic necessities such as a bed, end tables, chairs, a microwave, and a sofa. Some may include more or less, but it all depends on the landlord or property owner.

Semi-furnished flats have fewer stuff than equipped apartments. They still have the basics, such as a bed, couch, and some kitchen equipment, but “semi-furnished” accommodations offer less luxuries.

Before you decide on which apartment to rent, ask the landlord for an apartment tour or even reach out and ask the tenants if they enjoy living there.

Pros of Renting a Fully Furnished Apartment

As with anything, there are pros and cons to renting furnished apartments. So, here’s a list of the pros and cons to consider to make it easier to rent your perfect apartment.

Moving is easy

Moving from an old apartment to a new one is time-consuming. There’s so much to get done from boxing up all your belongings to then hiring a moving company or enlisting your friend’s help. You no longer have to worry about moving heavy furniture when you rent a furnished apartment.

Environmentally friendly

Another advantage of a furnished apartment is that it is significantly more environmentally friendly. Renters typically generate a lot of waste when they move homes full of items from one location to another.

Esmeralda Carvajal, one of the owners of Valley Haul Away, a local rubbish removal firm in Los Angeles, believes it’s a major issue. “About 80% of the work we get in the rubbish removal business come from folks who are moving houses or apartments. Very few people leave their homes completely empty, so there is generally a pile or two of stuff for us to dispose of.

Lower upfront costs

If you’re looking to save money upfront, then a furnished apartment might just be for you. With a furnished apartment, not only do you not have to worry about moving furniture, but you don’t have to spend extra money buying your own furniture just yet.

Furniture is expensive and takes a long time to accumulate, leaving you with a semi-furnished apartment for a while. A furnished rental eliminates the additional costs of furniture and saves you more money upfront.

Short-term rental

Renting an apartment is a big commitment you shouldn’t take lightly. If you’re unsure about how long you’ll be in one place, consider moving apartments to a place ready to go.

A business person, college student or someone who only wants to stay in a place for a few months are good candidates for short-term rentals. If this sounds like you, then pre-furnished apartments are great for short-term tenants.

Reduce stress

Renting a new place is stressful, to say the least. Then, add in all the other tasks that go into moving, from filling an empty apartment with new furniture to learning your new neighborhood. A furnished apartment can help to reduce some of the big stresses that come with moving.

Furnished apartments can fit your style

“One big pro of renting a furnished apartment used to be one of the cons,” says Alex Back, CEO of  Couch.com, a company that helps both landlords and property managers find great couch retailers in their area and online.

“In days past, furnished rentals used to be synonymous with a look and feel that could only be described as dated and institutional. Nowadays, however, landlords and property managers are investing in high quality furniture that also embodies great design. They’re seeing a demand for higher end furnishings in both short term and long term rentals and have finally realized the value they’re adding by outfitting units with them.”

In fact, there are now more than a few companies focused on helping landlords outfit their spaces with well-designed furniture and decor like Fulhaus, a popular AI-powered real estate furnishing solution. Their founder and CEO, Andria Santos, is incredibly focused on design, and landlords using Fulhaus to furnish their properties can expect an extremely tasteful array of furnishings at their fingertips, ready to be delivered and installed ASAP.

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She describes the company’s design aesthetic as being “a nod to the ’60s and ’70s, the heyday of design…” This bodes well for the generally interior design-challenged landlords and managers who are usually tasked with furnishing many units all at once: “When the owner or manager doesn’t live where their units are they need to have them furnished remotely – who can they trust to do that? That’s basically what we would do- let’s get people up and running no matter where they are. They can trust us to get it fully outfitted and fully ready to rent.”

Cons of Renting a Fully Furnished Apartment

With every pro, there’s a con and a furnished apartment is no exception. Here are the cons of furnished apartments that you should consider before moving.

Higher rent fees

If you already have furniture or are willing to pay for new furniture, renting a completely furnished flat is a poor choice. Renting a furnished apartment often requires a higher monthly rent and a larger security deposit. The higher rent charges are attributable to the fact that you are paying for both the space and the furniture in the flat.

If you’re a tenant who intends to stay in one spot for more than a few months, this may be one of the most significant disadvantages of furnished apartments. In the long term, renting unfurnished apartments could save you money. If you want to buy your own furniture but have a limited budget, second-hand furniture is an excellent option for filling your unfurnished flat. And, over time, you’ll save the extra money you’d have spent on rent. Future tenants should think about this carefully and budget for the best alternative for them.

Poor quality and lack of personality

Another disadvantage of furnished apartments is that you do not know the quality of the furniture. It could be old, damaged, or dirty from past tenants. Before renting, you should speak with the landlord about the furniture’s quality and maintenance.

You may dislike the furniture in the property, it may not be to your taste, or it may lack the facilities you require. And, while you can add small touches here and there, it’s crucial to live comfortably in your area, and furniture helps with that.

Fear of damages

It’s one of the most common anxieties among renters: harming the flat, or in this case, the apartment’s furniture. Damage to your own furniture is bad enough, but destroying the furniture in your furnished apartment is far worse and may result in costs. If you spill or your dog decides the couch is their new chew toy one day, you may be charged or lose your security deposit.

This can make you feel like you’re walking on eggshells in your own apartment, which is something you should seriously consider before renting. It is also a good idea to inquire about your landlord’s specific damage policies. This would also enable you to prevent rental scams.

Renting a new apartment is a significant life event for everybody. Whether you rent a furnished or unfurnished apartment, you will finally have your own space. A furnished rental is an excellent choice for persons who do not have adequate furniture, are short-term tenants, or are not committed to a new place. If you choose this option, discuss the included furnishings with your landlord.

Is Furnished or Unfurnished Better?

Before we go into whether landlords should supply everything or if tenants should take on a completely furnished rental, let’s look at the fundamental distinctions between the two.

At first sight, what constitutes furnished or unfurnished appears obvious, but, as the old song goes, it isn’t always so!

Unfurnished rentals should include

This is largely where people are mistaken: unfurnished does not mean completely bare. If you are letting out a property in an unfurnished state, you should still include the following at a minimum:

• Kitchen fixtures
• White goods: cooker, fridge, freezer, washing machine
• Bathroom fixtures
• Carpets or other types of flooring
• Curtains or blinds

As you can see, this is far from empty, but it’s a far cry from furnished.

Furnished properties generally include

While unfurnished properties have a rough outline of the minimum requirements, when it comes to furnishing a rental, things are a little different and open to interpretation.

One landlord might include more than the next, but a good rule of thumb is to supply everything a person needs to live comfortably. So, the list of inclusions would look something like this:

• Everything an unfurnished property has (see list above)
• Sofas and/or armchairs
• Dining table and chairs
• Tableware
• Wardrobe/s
• Chest of drawers
• Bed/s

Now we’ve looked at what defines a furnished or unfurnished property, it’s time to look at what’s best for both those who let and those who live in these properties.

Which is Best for Landlords?

Benefits of letting a furnished property

• Your tenants will save money on purchasing expensive items
• You’ll save money moving stuff out if the property is already furnished
• The furnishings can be reused once the tenancy ends
• A percentage of the cost of replacing and disposing of old items will be tax deductible
• You may get a better price for your rental if you offer it furnished
• Demand could be higher, if the market deems furnished properties attractive in your area

Benefits of letting an unfurnished property

• Your initial outlay will be considerably less if you don’t have to furnish the property
• No sleepless nights over damages or replacing items due to wear and tear
• No need to insure any furniture the tenant brings with them
• Perfect for tenants moving with their own furniture as they won’t have to shell out for storage
• Tenants will generally be happier surrounded by their own furniture
• Could well attract tenants looking for a longer, more stable tenancy
• No need to clear the property should you choose to sell, which will cut your costs

Which is Best for Tenants?

Now that the landlords are gone, what about the tenants? What are the advantages and disadvantages of renting a furnished or unfurnished house from their perspective?

While some of the factors outlined in the benefits to landlords section above will be common, there are some that are tenant-specific.

Let us discover out what they are!

Benefits of renting a furnished property

• Less expensive – Shelling out for expensive furniture and such can be a bore at the best of times, let alone straight after moving home! Renting a furnished property will help keep your costs lower.
• Greater flexibility – Renting a fully furnished flat makes sense if you’re in between properties or simply looking for somewhere to stay for work on a short-term basis.
• Highly convenient – Fully furnished properties offer the greatest level of convenience. This is especially true if it’s your first property, you’re moving from another furnished home, or if you’re in need of a rental you can walk into with just a suitcase in tow.

Benefits of renting an unfurnished property

• More personal – This is a big one for many renters. Unless you are in the market for a high-end property with brand-new furnishings throughout, nothing is going to match up to having your own items around you. Opting for an unfurnished pad gives you the chance to really make it feel like home.
• Potentially less expensive – Wait…what? How can it be less expensive for both options? Well, if you’re looking to rent long-term, then an unfurnished property could actually work out to be more cost-effective. Rental charges will generally be lower, which could make buying your own furniture a less expensive option if you going to rent for a while. Plus, you can always take the furniture with you…even if you buy your next property.
• Fewer deposit worries – Let’s face it, accidents happen, but if you do inadvertently happen to spill coffee on the couch or manage to break the bed, you’ll often either be liable to replace it in a furnished property or run the risk of losing your deposit. Opting for an unfurnished rental negates this worry…although you will have to replace your own stuff if you’re clumsy.