I’m in the industry (our company is mostly commercial real estate, though), and just in terms of shady things to watch out for here is a list of things I know about that factually are being done by companies in my area (not by us):
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[li]Low Rent / High Utility Con - One company I know offers rents that are roughly $200-250 below market per month. However, the company bills the entire complex collectively for garbage, water, and sewer. Your personal water/sewer is not metered. Incidentally the monthly water/sewer/garbage bill often made these apartments average out to costing about $200-250 more per month. Putting them right at market rate. Ends up the company was basically just lying about overall water/sewer rates and conning customers, the company I’m familiar with lost a class action lawsuit over it. I’ve also heard of companies that do something similar where they charge you a flat rate for sewer/water but then at the end of your lease they will charge you an “adjustment” for water/sewer usage “overages” that accrued during your stay and they just never got around to billing you for them until it was time to give back your deposit (which will now be $0.) Some land lords pay utilities themselves and you don’t have to pay them at all, that can be a good deal. I’d watch out for the land lords who pay the utility company and then issue you a bill, because you have no idea how accurate the bill is or whether it reflects your usage or the land lord’s costs.[/li][li]Craiglist Rental House Scam - This one is almost an epidemic, but from what I see mostly only is being done with houses. The scam artist scans the real estate listings for houses for sale. They get the address of the house and photos of the house and then use them to create a believable Craigslist ad indicating a house for rent. They will try to get you to front an application fee or deposit before viewing the house in most cases, the moment you give them the money they disappear from the face of the Earth. I’ve heard of more enterprising con artists who will go to the homes and find a way in and then will do real showings because they know as a vacant house for sale it is unlikely the owners will be around the same time they are running the con.[/li][li]Model Unit Scam - Some apartment complexes have been ran into the ground by lazy owners who don’t care to maintain the units. The smarter ones like this will keep one unit in pristine shape as a “model unit.” When you come to view your apartment they’ll let you see the model unit, but will make up some reason you can’t see your unit. They’ll insist 1000 times over all units are 100% the same. On move in day if you try to balk at your run down unit in extreme disrepair they will tell you take it or leave it and if you leave it they get to keep the deposit you paid or the application fee.[/li][/ul]
In terms of finding a good place, some of the best land lords in my areas are old guys who own small buildings w/maybe 8 units and sometimes might own a few buildings like that. These guys are extremely diligent on repairs but otherwise stay out of your business and do everything by the book in regard to giving your deposit back and etc. However around here a lot of these guys haven’t leveraged the internet and do not advertise extensively on the internet. Many of them do advertise on real estate ad bulletins and the local newspaper, though.
I don’t know how the newspapers are near where you live, near here, they fucking suck for advertising rental. Awhile back when you put out an ad for available units you could pay to have it posted both on the newspaper website and in the print edition. The website classified pages were an exact copy of the print edition just scanned into a PDF.
Now, the newspapers around here have outsourced the web end to some external company so you pay to get listing put into a “database” that potential customers can search. You can still pay for paper listing normally. What this has created is a system where a lot of stuff you might see in one won’t show up in the other, so it can be really worthwhile to look at both the paper version of your newspaper and the online. I’d only buy the Sunday version of the paper though, no reason to buy a bunch of daily editions.
The third party database our newspaper uses really sucks because you can’t just browse listings, you have to enter specific search criteria. This means that customers who don’t put the criteria in correctly (even if your rental meets all their desires) might inadvertently miss your listing because they don’t understand how to properly put their requirements into the right search criteria in the search engine.
Well, I think I have my first scammer. They said the county. I asked for the city. They didn’t bother to tell me that (saying that they don’t want to give out the address because the last time they did it was vandalized), but insisting that I get a credit report from some site that signs up you with a 7-day trial membership.
They say it’s the best one they know, because 'Also, the site above is one the safest and most secure website for credit reports in the
world, which is good for peace of mind. I have worked with them personally for a couple years now. ’ and 'This is a soft credit report so it won’t touch your FICO score (which is why we work with them). ’
That’s about what I figured. They haven’t responded either after I told them to shove off if they were a scam (not in those exact words, but I made it clear that I wasn’t falling for it).
Have everything in order when you meet the landlord incase you want the appartment. Checks to cover the deposit, pay stubs and a letter from your employer stating how long you’ve been working.
What I did the last time was met with the landlord, he gave me a tour of the appartment while the tennant was there. Whatever questions you have for the landlord he’s going to be honest but will basically tell you what you want to hear.
After I met with the landlord, I thanked him for his time waited in the parking lot for 15 minutes then went back to the appartment and talked to the tennant. My biggest concern was neighbours and noise. I asked her if there was any problems with the appartment she said since it’s an old building with old windows, heating during the winter was rough and needed to have the heat on full blast most of the time, but the heating bill wasn’t that bad. As far as neighbours and noise go, she said it was one of the most quiets appartments she had ever lived in partly because the way the appartments were build the only wall you shared was the one in the kithcen and the walls were all brick. That was my only concern thanked her for her time and honesty. Went back to my car called him back and told the landlord I was interested.
Of course if the tennant isn’t there when you visit, ain’t going to happen.
When the time comes: price a professional move. Within a city, and when it’s only an apartment, they can be shockingly cheap–like $300. It’s amazing to have the horrible moving part just DONE in a couple of hours, leaving you with the energy and time to unpack.
I appreciate all the advice. Unfortunately with my budget (I’m looking for places that are $650 - $800 - the average one bedroom is $1100), I really don’t have a lot of options (although I’ll be keeping tips for you guys in mind). And the local Housing Assistance, which I’d most likely qualify for, isn’t accepting participants right now. Oh well.
Also: move fast. There’s a balancing act between not getting scammed and not ending up with a mediocre place. Although it’s tempting to do a lot of research on individual places, ultimately, the best places don’t stay on the market long. Getting a really great rental is a combination of luck, knowledge, and gut. You need luck to get to a good place before it’s gone, knowledge of things like neighborhoods and what problems to look for quickly, and a gut feeling about the offer and the agent/owner so you can make a decision quickly.
Some friends of mine who have, in my opinion, the best rental place around (for the price) got it because one of them saw the pictures on craigslist, called immediately, saw the place, and wrote a check on the spot. The others didn’t have time to see it; the one who saw it just called them and said “This place is awesome. If we don’t rent it right now, it’ll be gone.”
I got my current place by showing up 15 minutes early to the scheduled showing (which several people were coming to). I met the showing agent as she arrived. I knew the neighborhood and had come by the previous day to look at the outside of the house. I brought my record of employment, a filled-out application I’d downloaded from the management company’s website, and a cashier’s check for the first month’s rent. I spent five minutes making sure that there was nothing obviously wrong with it, said I’ll take it, and handed over my docs/money. The agent shook my hand, wrote me a receipt for the check, and we made an appointment for me to come to their office and sign a lease.
I reeeeally don’t want to. It’s stressful for me to live with other people, even if there’s basically zero interaction. It’s stupid, but I can’t do anything about it. I’ll do it if I have to, but I’m trying to avoid it.
In case anybody wanted updates: I’ve submitted an application. I probably didn’t go over the place as finely as I should have, but any problems I should be able to live with because of the advantages. I talked to a resident and she said she loved the place and that it was quiet.
Advantages:
Ground floor, so I don’t have to haul stuff upstairs
All utilities paid. I’m going to assume that since they’re paying for electricity, I don’t get to have an air conditioner, but the way the place is set up, I should get really good airflow. (And it’s near enough to the beach that it probably doesn’t get above where I’m comfortable).
Very very near shops, but up above them (I could throw something and hit downtown)
Very near my friends
For a studio, it’s HUGE. The kitchen and dining room are a separate room, that you can fit a dining room set into comfortably.
Huge closet.
Mid-century. Some of the appliances have been updated (new fridge [duh], new bathroom sink, new toilet. I don’t remember the age of the stove). The bathroom has pink tile, and there’s checkerboard linoleum in the bathroom and kitchen. I could wish the kitchen was formica or butcherblock instead of tile, but it’s fine.
Great views.
Well within my budget.
The rental company said there’s been a lot of interest about it (probably because of the location, although they didn’t specify that), but I don’t know if that means a lot of applications.
If it turns you you’re not allowed one, and you really want one, don’t be afraid to negotiate for it. You can always offer to pay a reasonable increase in rent to offset the electricity you’re using.
Ask about pest control. Specifically, do they spray the outside area for bugs every month, or at least every 3 months? If not, move on. Unless you don’t mind roaches.
Roaches aren’t a big problem around here. (I’ve only seen a roach once or twice and that was in a warehouse, not a home).
And now a tip from me for anybody reading this thread later: When you go to look at a place, specify the ENTIRE address, so you don’t fall in love with a place and then find out that that unit is outside your budget.
I’m waiting for a call so I can go view the unit I thought it was, because it’s currently occupied. sigh Oh well, that gives me more time to save up money.