For five months,  I have been everywhere in Lagos looking for an apartment that meets my taste. The struggle is real, and up till now, I have not found a house to rent.

This is most likely the story of everyone who has tried to find a house to rent in Lagos.

Getting a clean, safe and affordable apartment in a cool location in Lagos, especially on the mainland, is a serious struggle.

And in your search for an apartment, you'll probably meet a crazy agent, who'll introduce you to a difficult landlord and his poorly maintained house.

If you haven't tried to find a new apartment in Lagos, prepare yourself for these 10 struggles.

1. You'll meet the agent who has the contacts of all Lagos landlords

Having a contact network is a good selling point for apartment agents, but Lagos agents always overrate themselves.

An agent assure you that you'll get the apartment you want in no time because he knows the number of houses in Yaba and Surulere.

Another will say he has the contacts of all the landlords in Lagos just to make you think he knows his onions.

2. Agent fee first

Lagos agent don't joke with money. In fact, after telling them the kind of house you want, the next thing is for you to pay N2000 or N5000, depending on the agent. They call it agent fee. Then you fill a form.

This same agent will ask for something they call mobilization fee. This is meant to aid their transportation from one place to another to search for vacant apartments.

However, if you're going with them, it is your responsibility to pay the transportation fair. That is what it is written in their unwritten constitution.

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3.  Here comes your first disappointment

The moment the agent tells you he has gotten your choice apartment, don't jubilate yet, just go and see it first.

Most times, this turns out to be a direct opposite of what you want. You want a clean apartment in a cool location, but the first house your agent will show you will most likely be one with water problem in an overcrowded area.

4. Since you don't like the first one, the search continues

If you really want to get a good house in Lagos, you must be ready to do some legwork with the agent.

Some agents are ready to work the length and breadth of the city to get you an apartment. Forget the claim that he knows all landlords and vacant apartments in Lagos. You are in it together, and you have to pay the transportation fair to anywhere he takes you.

5. Finally, you see a house that wins your heart but...

After few days of trekking, running and jumping buses together with your agent under the Lagos hot sun, you finally find a place that wins your heart. Even the agent feels he has done his best for you because the building is dope.

You really want to pay the rent for this place immediately, but after speaking with the landlord, you realize you are still very very poor because you can't afford it.

6. It's time to drop agents and go online

It's been five months of searching. You have been paying agent fees and mobilisation fees to no avail. You're tired of travelling around Lagos with agents just to see houses you'll never like.

So, going online to look for apartments on classifieds sites is the only solution right now.

7. Here is the apartment you've been looking for

After login onto a site for properties, you see an apartment of your choice. Two bedroom flat, clean toilet facilities, spacious, tiled and affordable. The description also says the house is close to a cinema and it is located in Yaba.

The pictures are there for you to see and you can't let this slip away. You call the number on the ad, and off you go to meet the landlord.

8. Another disappointment

Photos lie! The spacious rooms you saw online suddenly appears smaller.  The clean toilet facilities are no longer there. And the five-minute walk to the cinema is actually 30 minutes.

9. You finally get the house

Congratulations. You have finally seen the house and the landlord promises you he won't disappoint you because he thinks you'll be a good tenant. He also believes you're a gentleman who won't default in paying his rent.

But before you move in, you need to know some rules.

10. You have to live by your landlord's rules.

Some landlord's rules can be funny, but for many people, the living in the house is more important than the rules.

If you truly like a house, you'll have to live by such rules as these.

Don't invite too many friends into my house

Don't come home late in the night.