By PSA: Finding a flat to rent — with an ocean betwixt you and it — is really hard.
If there is one bit of advice I can give to people in the same shoes as I was a month ago, it would be to find yourself a reputable relocation agent.
My husband and I moved to Edinburgh, Scotland this month and, having never been to the U.K. in our lives, had no idea where to start looking for a place to live.
I had thought I could do this on my own once we landed on Scottish soil. I had rented us a place to live for two weeks whilst I searched for a place.
I mean, I’d rented a place a handful of times in the U.S., so how hard could it really be?
But the closer we got to our move date, the more stressed out I became.
What if two weeks wasn’t long enough?
What if I got scammed?
What if… ?
What if’s kept playing in my mind like a bad song stuck on repeat.
I finally called D.J. Alexander, an estate agency in Edinburgh and they suggested I get a relocation agent.
“A relocation agent?” I thought. “But aren’t those super expensive?”
I’d never considered it.
But the more I looked into it, the better it sounded.
A relocation agent essentially looks for a place for you, suited to your preferences, and helps you find it before — or soon after — you arrive, and negotiate and navigate all of the nitty-gritty details of moving to a new country.
I was happy to find Edinburgh Relocations, because Laura was a total lifesaver. Working with her was wonderful and I can highly recommend her to anybody moving to the Edinburgh area.
She collated a list better than I had (after spending hours scouring the internet for a decent place) — and knew the ones that would accept our two cats, who moved with us.
We had a Skype interview and were able to discuss everything my husband and I were looking for — mainly a well-decorated, furnished flat with access to a garden for our two fur babies.
Fast forward through a whirlwind of Laura going out to look at places for us (she sent us videos of each flat after she saw them — which was super helpful, as we were not yet in Edinburgh) we settled on a lovely little flat in the center of the city that actually accepted our two cats. We were equally thrilled and relieved to have a place to live when we got to Edinburgh. Though, our flat isn’t ready until the end of September, so we are AirBnBing it out in the country until then… C’est la vie.
To get in touch with Laura, click here.
If you’re moving abroad, or know someone who is moving abroad, hopefully this article proves useful! Feel free to ask me any questions if you have them by commenting below.
xx
Cheers,
☾Jessica♥Fitzgerald☽ 