Homes For Rent

Renting a Home: What To Look For

Renting a home is quite an undertaking, as it requires the right timing, planning foresight, and communication with either landlords or agents you will be working with in your search. After all, you want it to be the perfect place for you and whomever you will be sharing the space with, especially if you are moving to a different city. Fortunately, once you have the right steps mastered, the search for your new home will be less stressful and less frustrating. For many people, finding the right place simply takes experience and most people who are happy in their homes have moved more than once in their life. They have likely at one time or another lived alone, with other people, and have likely worked with a real estate company to find the right place suited for them. For those who move often, learning the tips and tricks of the trade have probably become second nature, and finding a house for rent on their own has evolved to be more manageable. If you are new to finding rentals, this brief synopsis will provide you with detailed information about rental homes as more people are choosing to rent instead of buy.

Finding a Rental Home: Key Steps

As the competition for rental homes increases, take into account these few steps that you need to prioritize during the home renting process once you have found a variety of potential houses in your online search.

• Make sure to tap into all rental markets. Luckily, there are search engines and online tools beyond Craigslist, including MyNewPlace.com and individual realtor sites. These sites allow people to analyze and compare rent prices. Be sure to get a sense of how private owners and realtors price the homes that are displayed, so that you can use the data for a higher level of comparison on your own.
• Research and learn about all of the standard features of a lease and each party’s responsibilities. Because you are signing a formal contract, it is important to differentiate and be aware of what the document lays out contractually and obligates you as the renter, to do. A lease protects both you and your landlord, so make sure it also holds him or her responsible to the legal conditions that are applicable to a lessor according to the procedures in your state, area, or city.
• Walk around the neighborhood where the house is listed. Get a sense of what is nearby, how you plan to travel locally, what your potential neighbors could be like, and generally decide whether this new neighborhood is the right match for you. Doing a long distance move? Search online for images and blogs that focus on local attractions to get to know the area better at a local level. It is always imperative and convenient to be ready with any paperwork you might need for verification of income and credit score, as well as a checkbook especially useful in high demand cities and neighborhoods where unofficial first-come, first-serve practices are prominent.
• Do an in-person viewing of the home. This is the most exciting part of your search, because you can truly look at and explore the space you imagine will be your future home. Don’t let your imagination run wild; remember to check for more practical aspects of the home as well. Make sure the walls and floors are in good condition, check for dripping or leaky faucets, and make sure the windows and doors are compliant with city code.
• Communicate. Don’t be afraid to ask your potential future landlord questions! Sometimes, they will offer the information to you in good faith. Also communicate to your potential landlord about anybody you will be living with, whether or not they were present at the time of the showing.
• If you feel the price is too high, don’t be afraid to negotiate when possible. It is not typically possible to do this in areas where there is a high demand for rental homes, as the landlord will simply find someone else willing to pay the asking price for renting the property. However, if there is a reason to negotiate, such as minor damage or a leaky faucet, and the landlord is interested in having you as a tenant, it never hurts to ask.
• Do a second walk through for damage and functionality in the house, even if you have signed the lease. This is why communication continues to be a key factor in renting a house. Make sure the landlord knows that you are aware of anything that does not work to full capacity. This way, he or she can make appropriate fixes and adjustments, and at the end of the lease, you will not be held responsible according to the conditions of the lease and the deposit.

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