Putting the word out – One of our approaches to this problem has been to let everybody know we’re looking for a home in city x, and then to pursue all leads. On our last sabbatical in England, for example, we had a surprisingly far-reaching network of people trying to help us. An Indonesian friend we’d met in Canada emailed us from Korea offering to contact his friend in the U.K. to look around on our behalf. Canadian friends gave us a lead on a small English business specializing in finding sabbatical homes (unfortunately, now defunct). We were also put in touch with a friend’s sister-in-law’s sister-in-law, and another friend visiting the UK clipped housing ads from The Times for us.

My favorite connection, though, occurred on a flight to London. A Canadian friend struck up a conversation with a British-born prof from a Quebec university. When Rob learned that the man was going back to clean out his recently deceased father’s home, he saw a possible answer to our housing dilemma and put us together by email.

I wish I could say that we landed the perfect house through one of these leads, but we didn’t. Yet, with the help of these friends (and their friends and relations), we made an early start on our quest and got a good idea of the housing market. In the end, it was an online search for ads in our destination’s university paper that led us to our final choice.

The Internet has certainly made long-distance house-hunting easier. While we ended up working with a rental agency, the Internet has allowed others to communicate directly with homeowners, swapping questions, stories, and photographs en route to signing the deal. Phone calls also help to flesh out the ads and to make both parties more comfortable with the arrangements.

No matter how you’ve unearthed your leads, once you’ve narrowed down your choices, be sure to ask your prospective landlord some very specific questions. Assume nothing, confirm everything!

The Basics – What is the rent? Is there a rental agreement or lease? How much is the deposit? When and how must it be paid? Who pays water, heating, property taxes, etc., and approximately how much are they? Are there any other anticipated expenses (e.g., maid service, gardener)? Are the arrival and departure dates flexible?

The Contents – Is it furnished? If yes, what furniture is included in the rent (beds, mattresses, desks, tables, chairs, bookcases, sofa, etc.)? What working appliances and equipment are provided (stove/oven, fridge, washing machine, dryer, dishwasher, microwave, toaster, vacuum cleaner, TV, VCR/DVD player, telephone, radio, CD player)? Are linen and bedding supplied (sheets, towels, pillows, blankets)? What kitchen items are provided (dishes, silverware, glasses, mugs, pots, utensils)? Is there a bathtub or a North American-style shower?

The Outdoors – Is there a garden to maintain? What about a lawn mower, clothesline, place for bicycles, garage? Is there on-site parking? If not, is nearby parking difficult and/or expensive?

The Neighborhood – What is the area like? How far to the nearest train/bus/subway? Where are the closest shops, library, and park? Are there children in the neighborhood? What are the schools like?

Note: While all this information may be incredibly useful in making your housing decision, remember to take some of the answers with a grain of salt. The landlord likely wants to close the deal and may paint a deceptively rosy picture, especially regarding the neighborhood and schools. If at all possible, confirm some of this information with a local contact. As always, it’s "buyer beware."