Hi again everyone!
We really hope that by now you have found a place to stay in Maastricht but if you’re in the stressful and unfortunate situation of not yet finding anythinig, then this post is for you! As we all know, apartment hunting in Maastricht can really be quite the headache. We’ve all been there, scrolling through the endless Facebook posts, checking our inbox constantly hoping to at least be in with the chance of an online viewing. And once you get the call that the apartment is yours, you feel like you’re on top of the world! If you haven’t had this feeling yet though we are urging you to keep trying! With these tips we hope that you’re about to find a new home.
First things first – you need to start looking. I mean, you’ve probably done that already but make sure that you are subscribed to every possible housing page and group there is. Here are our suggestions for housing websites and groups:
- Facebook groups
Make sure you have your notifications switched ON for the different Facebook groups and that you are subscribed to an email list/you have all alerts turned on for the other websites.
Alright, so now that you’ve subscribed EVERYWHERE and have probably already spent quite a while browsing as well, it’s time to make a list of your requirements. To be honest, I wouldn’t recommend making a super long list of requirements when you’re desperate but you may have some things that you’re not willing to negotiate on such as a full kitchen or your own toilet. (However, please bare in mind that many student accommodations in Maastricht won’t have an oven and a lot of the bathrooms are shared) Then, you can make a list of things that you would like to have but that you can negotiate on.
Next up, it’s time to draft a message. I would recommend drafting one message that you then edit a bit based on the housing ad. It’s important to stand out from other applicants as the majority of homes can see hundreds of messages from applicants. You can do this by telling them a little more about yourself than just your name and age, talk about what you like and what type of housemate you are. Here is a sample message that we have found from our experience works:
“Hi, I’m (name) and I saw your housing post on (insert where you found the posting). I would be interested in viewing the room/apartment. I am currently a (age)-year-old student at Maastricht/Zuyd University studying (insert study). In my free time I like to do (list a few of your interests). I’m especially interested in your house because of (insert why you are interested). As a housemate I’m (expand on how are you as a housemate). I would be interested in scheduling a viewing as soon as possible! Please feel free to reach out to me (insert phone number). Looking forward to hearing from you!”
Of course you need to put your own spin on the message in order to get your unique personality across and to appeal to the particular house in question. However, we believe this is the most basic structure a message should follow.
After making a list of your must-haves and having your drafted message ready to go, it’s time to scroll through all the websites. We know that this feels like spending a lifetime on the websites but then again, you absolutely need a roof over your head so we think the pay-off is worth it. With your list of requirements and your budget, you can filter the ads that interest you more quickly and send your message to all the ones you would want. We recommend scheduling time in the morning to scroll through, maybe 30 minutes to an hour and again in the evening and we also recommend you to keep checking quickly throughout the day if possible. (It’s nearly a full-time job)
Hopefully, you will receive a response from a few of the places you messaged and have a viewing! Remember to keep your Facebook notifications on and whenever you see a place that could fit you, send in your message as quickly as possible!
We’re wishing you all the best of luck with your apartment search and hopefully, before long, you’ll have a place to call home in lovely Maasi.
