A Guide to Shopping for a Rental Property
Filed under: House & Home, Real Estate, Your Home
You could be a young person shopping for your first apartment or you could be empty-nesters 
looking to downsize from a house to something that doesn't require constant maintenance and the paying of property taxes.
As someone on the hunt myself, I've devised a guide to shopping for a rental property, whether it's an apartment, a condo or a house.Decide on What You Need/Want
Is the rental property pet-friendly? This is very important when you've been emotionally tethered to two furry companions for years. If you have pets, this should be the first question asked. You might as well know up front how the landlords feel and save yourself an unnecessary trip to see an apartment or house, if a no-pets policy is non-negotiable with the owners.
Does a condo have a washer/dryer in it? A dishwasher? I'm leaning towards an all-inclusive unit. As it is, I'm leaving behind a three-year-old laundry pair that I absolutely love. I don't want to have to haul our underwear down to a basement and pay extra to do the laundry.
How many bedrooms do you need? As work-from-home professionals, we need a room that can be turned into office space, so we're looking for at least two bedrooms.
Is air conditioning important? My husband and I added air conditioning to our home three years ago. Now it's a luxury we don't want to do without, especially as we get older.
If you decide to rent a townhouse or other house, who will be responsible for maintenance chores like cutting the grass and shoveling the snow? Again, after 36 years of home ownership, these are the things John and I hope to avoid from here on in.
Is the rent all-inclusive or will you be responsible for paying hydro and water on top of rent? With most landlords, it's the latter
Never Assume Anything
Before you go looking at actual apartments, write down any questions you can think to ask the landlord. In my case, I ask over the phone if the place is pet-friendly, air-conditioned and how many bedrooms there are. If I get satisfactory answers to those questions, the rest can be answered by actually seeing the space available in an apartment or house and asking the landlord on-site about such things as maintenance arrangements.
Flush the toilet. Turn on the oven and burners in the kitchen. Open the fridge. In short, make sure you're not getting stuck with appliances and other essentials that don't work and that you might have trouble getting replaced after you've paid first and last.
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RELATED LINKS
Renting vs. Buying: What's the Best Option for You?
Rent to Own: An Alternative Path to Home Ownership
Don't Fall Prey to This Real Estate Rental Scam
Marlene Alexander is a freelance writer and Dollar Store Diva. She writes tips and tricks for using the best that dollar stores have to offer.
looking to downsize from a house to something that doesn't require constant maintenance and the paying of property taxes.As someone on the hunt myself, I've devised a guide to shopping for a rental property, whether it's an apartment, a condo or a house.Decide on What You Need/Want
Is the rental property pet-friendly? This is very important when you've been emotionally tethered to two furry companions for years. If you have pets, this should be the first question asked. You might as well know up front how the landlords feel and save yourself an unnecessary trip to see an apartment or house, if a no-pets policy is non-negotiable with the owners.
Does a condo have a washer/dryer in it? A dishwasher? I'm leaning towards an all-inclusive unit. As it is, I'm leaving behind a three-year-old laundry pair that I absolutely love. I don't want to have to haul our underwear down to a basement and pay extra to do the laundry.
How many bedrooms do you need? As work-from-home professionals, we need a room that can be turned into office space, so we're looking for at least two bedrooms.
Is air conditioning important? My husband and I added air conditioning to our home three years ago. Now it's a luxury we don't want to do without, especially as we get older.
If you decide to rent a townhouse or other house, who will be responsible for maintenance chores like cutting the grass and shoveling the snow? Again, after 36 years of home ownership, these are the things John and I hope to avoid from here on in.
Is the rent all-inclusive or will you be responsible for paying hydro and water on top of rent? With most landlords, it's the latter
Never Assume Anything
Before you go looking at actual apartments, write down any questions you can think to ask the landlord. In my case, I ask over the phone if the place is pet-friendly, air-conditioned and how many bedrooms there are. If I get satisfactory answers to those questions, the rest can be answered by actually seeing the space available in an apartment or house and asking the landlord on-site about such things as maintenance arrangements.
Flush the toilet. Turn on the oven and burners in the kitchen. Open the fridge. In short, make sure you're not getting stuck with appliances and other essentials that don't work and that you might have trouble getting replaced after you've paid first and last.
Like this article? Don't miss another one. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook
RELATED LINKS
Renting vs. Buying: What's the Best Option for You?
Rent to Own: An Alternative Path to Home Ownership
Don't Fall Prey to This Real Estate Rental Scam
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