This article comes from our friends at StudentRenter.com. The advice applies to everyone, not just college students, so we thought we would share. StudentRenter.com has a wealth of great information for students, parents, and just about everyone else.
Once you've found a sweet off-campus apartment to rent near your school, we suggest that you invest some time, effort and money into making sure your new abode is not only comfortable and stylish, but also safe and secure.
Only having a measly chain lock on your apartment door and using the switch locks on your windows is not the best way to go to protect your new place. Take some of these effective apartment security tips from SimpliSafe into consideration and talk to your landlord to make sure you're stuff doesn't get stolen or, even worse, something happens to you and your roommates.
Door and window locks
As we already said, flimsy locks aren't the way to go if you want to keep burglars from getting into your apartment and swiping your brand new TV or Xbox 360 - the horror, we know. Invest some moolah in strong and sturdy locks for your front door and all windows at your student housing - such as deadbolt locks - as they can do a heck of a lot more to protect your home. If you want even more protection than just locks, then a stronger door may be the best option.
Peephole
Many rental properties have them installed, but if your new off-campus apartment doesn't, we suggest using the source's suggestion of adding a peephole to your front door. These tiny viewers allow you to see who's at the door without them being able to see you. Though nine times out of 10, it's the pizza guy delivering your two large pepperonis, it could be a thief or scam artist trying to finagle their way into your home. So, though a peephole doesn't actually secure your apartment, it lets you see who might be sneaking outside your place looking to steal from you.
Window blinds
SimpliSafe says these are essential items for student renters who lease an apartment on the ground floor of a building, as these homes are the most likely to be robbed in most cases due to ease of entrance and exit for thieves. We agree with the source's recommendation. A burglar could very easily, and quickly, rob your apartment if you leave your valuables in plain sight and with little window security. Blinds can be bought at home improvement stores for affordable prices, so if you're looking for a way to protect your home but do so cheaply, this is likely your best avenue to take.
Security lighting
Yes, you read right. Lighting can be an effective method of home security, the source says. We think adding devices such as exterior motion sensor lights could make criminals steer clear of your apartment. Think about it - the typical thief doesn't want to be seen while doing their "work" so they'll likely avoid risking the chance of robbing a residence where they are clearly visible. Just like blinds, a low-cost option for protecting your student housing.
Mail and newspaper delivery
If you get mail and a daily paper delivered to your apartment and you plan on being away from your place for a few days, we suggest calling the post office and telling them to hold onto everything until you're back. Mail that piles up in front of an apartment door is a telltale sign for burglars that says, "Hey, my place is empty so feel free to rob me. Just remember to turn the lights off when you leave." You're practically inviting them in to steal your stuff. It takes a few minutes to put a hold on your mail, and you're already on the computer, so we advise spending the time to do so.
Neighbors and landlords
You don't have to be best friends with them or even talk to them daily, but we recommend getting to know your neighbors, as they can be relied upon to watch after your place while you're gone for an extended period. Talk to at least one of them after moving into your off-campus apartment that you think you can trust and just ask them off the bat if they wouldn't mind doing so at some point down the line. However, if you really don't want to get to know your neighbors, just ask your landlord to keep an eye on your place while gone.
The point is is that having a pair of eyes regularly monitoring your place while away can be a great way to ensure you don't become a burglary victim.
Crime statistics
Government and municipal websites often have crime stats available for specific areas of the country, even for the smallest of towns and communities. To make sure you understand the level of criminal activity in an area even before renting an off-campus apartment, perhaps checking out these sites is a good idea. You don't want to regret signing a year-long lease and realize you're living in the murder capital of the U.S., do you? We didn't think so.
Parking
Regardless of whether your student housing has a garage for you to keep your ride in or only provides you with street parking, we advise taking care of your car's security as soon as you move in. Car thefts are common even in areas where crime levels are low, so invest in a vehicle protection device, such as an alarm system or a steering wheel lock, to keep your wheels safe and sound.
Home security system
Last but not least, there's the home security system. These can be very expensive, but if you can afford to buy one and your landlord is cool with it, you may want to install one in your student housing - especially if you have high-priced belongings. Many of today's home alarm systems allow users to keep tabs on their apartment's security while away from their home. Be sure to do your research and check out all available options to make sure you get a good system.
Tired of apartment life, but not ready to buy? Or perhaps you have owned a single family home for years, and now your circumstances have changed and you will be renting instead – but not relishing the thought of moving into an apartment?
Single family home rentals are quickly becoming one of the brightest spots in the entire U.S. housing market. As investors purchase foreclosed homes and turn them into rentals, the variety of rental houses available is increasing in many areas. This trend could soon go into overdrive as the Federal government explores ways to put foreclosed homes into the hands of larger investment groups to convert to rentals.
The benefits of a single family home, as compared to an apartment, are easy to spot. Often a single family house will have more space, a yard, a garage, and perhaps a better school district, or more of a “neighborhood” feel. Of course, these are not benefits to everyone, but to many, especially families with children, these can be huge positives.
So what negatives should be considered before you make the leap from apartment to house?
· Utility costs – Even if the rent is the same, you could end up paying substantially more for electric and gas. Also, many apartments include some utilities like heat and water, but few houses do. You may even be on the hook to pay for trash removal. Check the lease carefully to see what utilities are the responsibility of the renter, and ask to see copies of past utility bills to get an idea of the potential utility costs.
· Repairs – Living in a large apartment complex often provides the luxury on an onsite maintenance person, who will take care of fixing your broken light fixture or dishwasher quickly. In a house, at the very least a maintenance person has to be dispatched by the property management company. When renting from a private landlord, this can become even more complicated. Before signing the lease, discuss and ensure that the lease specifies how repairs will be handled. Will you pay for minor repairs out of your pocket and deduct them from the next month’s rent? What if there is a major repair issue, such as a broken pipe, and you can’t reach the landlord? Often when dealing with a private landlord, you may have to be present at the home for a repairman, and you might have to make calls to find the repairman yourself. Consider your time and flexibility with regard to situations like this.
· Exterior maintenance - Who is responsible for cutting the lawn? Generally, this is a tenant responsibility. Do you even own a lawn mower? Do you want to spend your summer Sunday’s trimming hedges? Again, read the lease carefully. Don’t think that just because you don’t care if the lawn is brown and dying that you are entitled to treat the lawn that way. Your lease may specify that you are required to keep the lawn up to an “attractive” standard. This is especially important if the property is governed by a Homeowners’ Association, as you could be on the hook for fines for lack of property upkeep.
· HOA Rules – As long as we’re on the subject of HOA’s, if the lease says that you must abide by HOA covenants, make sure that you are given a copy of them, and that you read them. I was once fined $50 by the HOA of a house I was renting because I kept the garbage can on the side of the house, and it could be seen from the street. Apparently that was a no-no, but I didn’t know about it because I didn’t ask for a copy of the HOA covenants. If the lease doesn’t mention an HOA, ask to make sure.
None of this is meant to scare you off from renting a single family home. In fact, I rent a house myself. Just be aware of what you are getting into, and that there are differences in renting a house vs. an apartment.
CheckYourLandlord.com has been named as one of
"60 Genius Brands to Watch in 2012"
Just a quick note to share how thrilled we are to be named by AGBeat as one of their "60 Genius Brands to Watch in 2012". CheckYourLandlord.com was named along with some other tech and real estate companies you might have heard of - like Apple, Amazon, Google , Trulia and AirBnB.
Read the Full List Here
We're pretty proud of this achievement, and we'd like to celebrate by sharing a discount with you. Through January 31, enter the code JAN12ZY at checkout, and you'll receive 20% off any CheckYourLandlord.com reports.
Some things don’t stop for the holidays. Things like finding a new place to live. Certainly there are activities you’d rather be doing than braving the snow and cold to look at rental homes, but there are advantages to spending the week between Christmas and New Year’s finding your perfect rental for 2012.
Here are a few reasons why you shouldn’t put it off until next year:
1) Fewer applicants to compete against! Rather than finding property after property with a long line of interested potential tenants, you could be the only one this week. After the 1st, it’s a whole different story.
2) It’s a great excuse to take some time off from family gatherings.
3) Property owners who are more eager to get a renter signed and finalized. They don’t want to be showing their home this week, so if they are it means that they are going to be more eager to find a tenant and end the process. This could give you more negotiating power.
4) Opportunity to judge the neighbors by the extravagance of their holiday decorations. Do you love (or hate) to spend December bathed in the nighttime glow of LED stars and inflatable lawn Santa’s? You won’t have to wait until next December to find out the extent of your prospective neighbors decorating proclivities.
5) Time flexibility to arrange viewings. With many property owners off of work for the holidays, and perhaps you may have additional time yourself, it could be easier to arrange times to see the property.
6) You’re with family anyway, and who can say no to a request for help at the holidays, so go ahead and ask for some help from your family to cover the security deposit.
Now get out there and find your 2012 home. Once you do, through January 31, enter the code JAN12ZY at checkout for 20% off any reports from CheckYourLandlord.com.
Happy Holidays from CheckYourLandlord.com!
Sometimes it can feel like the credit check process for a rental is almost as tough as getting a mortgage. Don't despair - there are ways to get a rental, even if your credit history has a few dings and dents.
Here are a few tips:
1) Get a co-signer. This is the traditional path for renters with poor or thin credit files. College students and recent grads often go this route, asking their parents to co-sign a lease for them. If you have a creditworthy friend or relative who is willing to help you out in this way, it’s usually the best option. Ask your co-signer to provide you with their credit report and score, bank statements, and proof of income to include in your application package.
2) If you have cash reserves but poor credit, as is often the case in a foreclosure situation, especially if you have strategically defaulted on your mortgage, provide bank statements that prove that you have enough cash on hand to cover the rental payments for many months. You may also offer to provide an additional month (or more) of rent up-front.
3) Provide an explanation for why your credit is damaged (but don’t lie about it). Private landlords will often be willing to work with you. For example, if you were unemployed for a period of time, but now have a steady job and can provide several months proof of income, they may be willing to overlook past credit problems.
4) Provide references from your past landlords. A landlord cares much more if you pay your rent than if you are late on your credit cards. If you’ve never made a rent payment late, and have prior landlords that will attest to this, especially if they are property managers or larger apartment complexes who are verifiable, this may tip the balance in your favor.
5) If all else fails, use a lease guaranty service like Insurent. For a fee, they will provide a guarantee to your landlord that you will make the rental payments. http://www.insurent.com/prospectiverenters.shtml
There has been a lot of action behind the scenes here at CheckYourLandlord since our last blog, and we're happy to be back with a BIG announcement!
Our pre-foreclosure notice report, which will tell you if there are any notices of default filed against a rental property, is now available for FREE!
We have decided that this crucial piece of information should be available to every renter, as easily as possible. Now, just enter the rental property address into CheckYourLandlord.com, and we'll send you a report in less than an hour that will tell you could be facing the foreclosure of your rental property. There's no more need to navigate confusing county records offices or websites. We give you information in an easy to understand format, utilizing our comprehensive data source access.
Once you've taken advantage of your free report, keep up-to-date on any future default filings against the property with our pre-foreclosure monitoring service. Stay one step ahead of your landlord, so you'll never be surprised by a foreclosure sale.
Of course, when you are considering a rental property, there are many more factors than notices of default that should be checked, and our comprehensive landlord verification reports provide all of the information you need to make a smart decision. We'll verify the property ownership, check the landlord's criminal and civil records, and find out if the landlord has declared bankruptcy. You can't get this combination of information, in an easy to use and understand format, anywhere else.
Every renter should be aware of the dangers of foreclosures on their rental home. Pass this along to your friends and family, so that they can be empowered with this information, too. Now that we are offering this service for free, there's no reason that any renter should be in the dark.
In the short time that CheckYourLandlord.com has been available, we've been thrilled with the response from renters. We've helped many renters avoid scams, steer away from rentals in the foreclosure process, and protect themselves from landlords with criminal pasts.
We've also heard from many property managers and real estate professionals about how our service could benefit them and their clients.
In response to the professional community, we have developed two new offshoots of our business - CheckYourLandlordPRO and CheckYourSeller.
CheckYourLandlordPRO will allow property managers to apply the same tools that we offer renters to evaluate their property owners before they accept properties for management. We'll provide monitoring services, much like we do now for individual renters, on a bulk basis for entire portfolios of properties. The goal is for property managers to take proactive steps to help their tenants and themselves avoid the troubles that can result from a property owner who fails to stay current with their mortgage.
CheckYourSeller provides the same type of monitoring for real estate brokerages, so that they don't waste time and money marketing properties to the wrong audience, and so that they stay fully aware of the status of their listings.
Both of these services will be available soon, through www.CheckYourLandlordPRO.com and www.CheckYourSeller.com.
Will these new areas cause our verifications to be compromised in any way, since we'll have property managers as clients? ABSOLUTELY NOT. Our primary goal is still to protect renters. That hasn't changed, and never will. Our reports are based on verifiable public information only, and are never influenced in any way, by any party - renter, landlord, agent, or manager.
Another new service, which I am particularly excited about, is the CheckYourLandlord.com Certified Properties Program. We'll provide more details on this program in a future blog post...stay tuned!
You're looking for a new rental place, and after some searching, you've decided on a property that is managed by a professional property management firm. This is often a very good decision, and provides a number of benefits. A good property management firm (be sure to check with your local Better Business Bureau), will often be very responsive to repair needs, lease renewals, and other items that privately managed properties may lack.
Does renting through a professional property manager (or rental agent or realtor) mean that you don't need to check the property and landlord yourself?
Absolutely not.
The property manager's duty is to the property owner, not to you as the renter. Of course, it is certainly in the property manager's best interest to ensure that you as a tenant have a great experience. But that is not their primary function.
Does the property manager check all of the items that CheckYourLandlord.com checks before they list a property?
Generally not. Often they will check the ownership of the property, and check for notices of default, but not always. Rarely will they monitor a property for an future notices of default. I have heard of very few property management firms that will check a landlord's financial and criminal background. A rental agent or apartment broker is even less likely to check these items, as their relationship to both you and the property owner ends once the lease is signed.
What's the answer, and how is CheckYourLandlord.com helping in these situations?
1) Ask the property management company if they participate in the CheckYourLandlord.com Certified Properties program. We work with property management firms to certify that their properties meet our high standards, so that they can offer peace of mind to their tenants. We'll be expanding this effort soon with the launch of CheckYourLandlordPRO.com.
2) If the property isn't a CheckYourLandlord.com Certified Property, then order a Landlord Verification Report before you rent. Don't assume that the manager, agent or realtor has done your homework for you.
Most property managers do a great job of ensuring that their property listings are good for both the tenant and landlord, but a little extra checking never hurts.
How to Finding a Rental Home – Go Beyond Craigslist!
You need a new place to live. It’s all over the news that the rental market is getting tighter. How can you find a rental, when you don’t want to live in a giant corporate apartment complex?
- Online rental listing sites
This is the standard method, and often the only method, that most people use when searching for a rental. There’s nothing wrong with it, but everyone else is doing it too. If you’ve looked around CheckYourLandlord.com at all, you know that these sites often include scam listings. It’s not the fault of the listing site – they can’t vet every listing – so it’s up to you to do your homework before you hand over any money or sign a lease. Of course, we’re happy to do that homework and check your landlord for you.
But there’s a bigger issue with finding a home through Craigslist or any other online rental listing site. Competition! Because everyone is looking at these sites, chances are good that a top quality rental at a reasonable price will be taken off the market quickly, and may even get bid up by the mass of renters vying for it.
- Friends and family (and even acquaintances or co-workers that you don’t particularly care for)
Sometimes we forget the obvious. Tell everyone you know that you are looking for a new place to live. Post it on every one of your social networking sites, and keep posting it (don’t worry, your real friends won’t unfriend you). Personal referrals are great, because you might be able to pick up a property before it is listed anywhere, and do it without any competition. You never know when your aunt’s hairdresser’s son’s friend just bought a fantastic vintage duplex in the perfect neighborhood that he is almost done rehabbing and is just about to put up for rent.
- Real estate agents
Really? Don’t real estate agents only want to talk to you if you’re buying a house, not renting? Well…yes, pretty much. But in this market, realtors may be listing houses that have been on the market forever and have no chance of selling, and they may already be talking to that client about renting the property instead. They also will look at you, the renter, as a potential future buyer. Make some calls. Ask friends if they have friends who are realtors. You might find a great ally in your rental search.
- Houses for sale
Drive around the neighborhood you want to live in. You’re probably doing that anyway. Now look at all those “For Sale” signs. Rather than sulking and pouting that there are so many great houses for sale and none for rent, go knock on the door. Ask the owner if they’ve considered renting the house out instead of selling it. Maybe they’ve thought about it, but haven’t pulled the trigger on turning it into a rental. Because you look so upstanding, clean and responsible, they’ll jump at the chance to rent it to you. OK, maybe the first one won’t, but the 20th might…and you only need to find one place to live. Just in case there’s no answer, carry a stack of business cards with you (it proves you have a job!), write a note on the back, and stick it in the door jamb. Maybe you’ll find a rental, or maybe you’ll find a new customer. Win-win.
Of course, be safe when doing this. Bring a friend with you. Don’t knock on a door with a big “No Tresspassing. Get Off My Land. Trained Attack Dogs on Premises” sign. Use common sense.
Regardless of where you find a rental, don’t fall in love with it and forget to check your landlord before signing a lease or handing over your money. You’ve taken care of the hard part by finding a place, let us take care of the rest of it the easy way – use CheckYourLandlord.com.
News stories abound with tales and stats showing that the rental market is getting tighter. For example, take a look at this story from MSNBC: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43315486/ns/business-eye_on_the_economy/t/renters-are-next-victims-housing-market/from/toolbar
How does this affect you as the renter?
Of course, the most obvious effect is that rental rates are increasing at rates that would have been unheard of a few years ago. It also means that competition for properties is higher.
I occasionally hear from renters when I talk to them about CheckYourLandlord.com that because the rental market is so tight, they have to immediately take any property they find. They say they don’t have the time to check out their new landlord before signing a lease.
THIS IS A HUGE MISTAKE!
Hot markets attract scammers and con artists like moths to a flame. The hotter the market, the more likely you are to run into scams and landlord issues.
Any legitimate rental property is going to have an approval process. You can use the time that the landlord is taking to check your credit to check out the landlord and property. Be up front with the landlord. State that you want to verify ownership of the property and ensure that the property isn’t subject to foreclosure before you sign the lease. For a legitimate landlord, this is a sign that you will be a conscientious tenant. Don’t be afraid of offending the landlord by stating this– it’s your money at stake! If the landlord requires that you sign the lease immediately, simply add a clause to the lease stating that the lease can be cancelled within 2 days if there are any notices of default filed on the property.
If the landlord is reluctant to agree to your attempts to allow for a window of time to check out the property, run away from the property. Don’t become a victim of your urgency to find a rental home.
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