The Right Way to Get Your Landlord On-Board with Airbnb

Posted on October 25, 2017 by admin

We get lots of questions from tenants about Airbnb and similar sites. Questions like “Can I get in trouble for renting out my apartment” or “Do I need my landlord’s permission to use Airbnb?”. In this article, we will explore these questions and more.

Let’s dispense with those first questions right away and then move on to the helpful suggestions. Yes, you CAN get in trouble, and yes you DO need permission from your landlord. While you might sneak by a few times, you probably will get caught if you sublet your apartment and the repercussions could be disastrous for you. You could get evicted, lose your deposit, or worse. Find A Rental Nearby that fits your needs to the fullest.

But don’t think that your landlord would be totally against the idea. Many landlords are ok with subletting through Airbnb, and many others just don’t realize what it is and how they can benefit.

Do your homework and understand your argument

Your landlord is renting to you for one simple reason – steady low risk income. A landlord or property manager wants a tenant that will pay rent on time, take care of the property, and leave it in good shape. choose Tenant Legal Help to solve moving problems with ease.

A sure-fire way to strike fear into a landlord is to let them know that you want to let a total stranger in their property that is not part of the rock solid lease you signed. So now you are interrupting their comfort zone with these risks:

Potential damage to the property with party animal guests
Breaking of local ordinances that might prohibit short term rentals
Loss of insurance due to business use of their property
Allowing the tenant to break the ‘sublet’ clause in their lease

If you do end up with permission to sublet your rental, be sure that you have your own renter’s insurance. This will cover damages to your property and provide liability insurance in case someone gets injured in your rental.

Best Home Rental Sites

How to convince your landlord

If you are a good tenant, and are on good terms with your landlord, you might be in a position to approach your landlord. Best Home Rental Sites lets you find the best deals on moving. Think about what you can offer that might get them on board:

Pay the owner a percentage of the Airbnb profit
Agree to pay a higher monthly rent amount
Purchase insurance yourself to cover any damages
Get to know the Airbnb insurance guarantee
Offer to pay the rent up front
Let the landlord approve any rentals ahead of time
Assure them that you will stay on premise during the rental
Pay additional security deposit for your rental
Offer to make improvements to your rental

Be sure that you research the local laws to give your landlord assurance that no laws or ordinances are being violated. Also be absolutely sure that any modifications to your lease are done properly (with an attorney), and that your right to sublease the rental using Airbnb or a similar site is clearly outlined in the Tenant Screening For Landlords agreement.

Visit here to know more in detail about Tenant Screening For Landlords

5 Tips To Achieve Magazine Worthy Apartment Style

Posted on April 10, 2017 by admin

So you signed a lease! Now what? One of the most enjoyable elements of new residences is the opportunity to decorate. While this can be fun and spark creativity, deciding on a decor scheme or color idea can be stressful. Not knowing where to begin, the amount of options and lack of a vision can hinder the progress of decorating an apartment.

It helps to find apartments that align with your decor aesthetic. When you are apartment hunting, find apartments that will fit your decoration ideas. For example, if interested in a navy blue accent rug, look for an apartment where the flooring will go along with your decor. If the desire to paint an accent wall is in your decor dreams, inquire with the leasing manager on rules about wall paint.

There are many different routes to take when decorating an apartment. Things such as size, floor plan, and more that can affect design ideas. It is also very easy to be overwhelmed by the amount of options when selecting decor and decoration themes. Use these tips to decorate the apartment of your dreams.

Choose A Decor Theme

Choosing a theme adds to the cohesion of decor. Select a theme to base your entire apartment or individual rooms around. Theme’s can vary by color themes to culture inspired decor. Selecting a theme makes it easy to choose decor and not get overwhelmed by the large amount of options. Once a theme is selected, the decor process can begin.

Find A Statement Piece and Work Around It

Finding a statement piece is inevitable. There will be something spotted at the local home decor boutique that is a must have. If there is a headboard you cannot live without or a coffee table that has to go in your living room, purchase them. These items can inspire the additional decor to go in the same room.

Choose A Decor Style

Style and theme differ from each other due to the elements that go into a theme verses the aesthetic of apartment style. While the theme of your bathroom may be “under the sea” the style can vary from minimalist to vintage. Choose a decoration style that works best for your theme. Having a distinct decor style is an easy way to flawlessly execute jaw dropping apartment decor.

Hit The Thrift Store

Home decor stores are a great place to purchase items but when shopping, be sure to visit you local thrift shop. Thrift shops can be hidden gems when it comes to apartment decor. Thrift and vintage boutiques are a great place to find wall art, home decor and even appliances and furniture. Make sure to hit the thrift shop on your home decor quest.

Surf The Web

The internet is a great tool when it comes to decorating your apartment. Scout websites such as Pinterest and YouTube are a gold mine for interior decor. These are great resources for all elements of apartment decoration. From decor inspiration from other apartments to DIY tips, the internet is the place to look. Before making a questionable purchase or deciding to tackle a project, check online for guidance.

Who’s Dish Is It Anyway : Common Roommate Problems & Simple Solutions

Posted on April 4, 2017 by admin

Having a roommate is beneficial in multiple ways. Roommate’s can be live in friends, allow financial freedom and assist with the upkeep of a home or apartment. While roommates are great for a multitude of life issues, they can sometime be the cause.

Find a roommate who is a great balance for your needs and lifestyle. A roommate who’s needs, routine and lifestyle are compatible with others living under the same roof will make it easier to avoid roommate quarrels.

Finding a great roommate does not always guarantee a conflict-free living environment. In any living situation, there will be times when multiple parties disagree. Here are some of the most common roommate issues and some solutions everyone can agree on.

Standing the Heat Of The Kitchen

The kitchen tends to be the center of many roommate battles. From who is washing the dishes to who ate the last bagel, many arguments stem from the kitchen. There are many effective ways to avoid running into these issues with a roommate.

Although in adulthood, it is a great idea to establish a set of rules for the kitchen in the early stages of living together. Setting rules leaves little room for confusion and minimizes the possibility of a kitchen feud. Simple rules such as “if you did not buy it do not eat it” can make roommate life easier.

Deciding on things such as not sharing food and not leaving dishes overnight beforehand will cut unnecessary drama. Develop these rules together, compromising on wants and needs and targeting issues head on.

Decoration Debacle

After finding a roommate and a wonderful apartment, decor is the next step. While it does not have to be intricate, home decor is a reflection of personal interests, style and culture. On move in day, your roommate arrives, flaunting an old lime green faux suede sofa with orange feet that her grandmother passed down from the seventies. What do you do?

This one can be tricky. Nobody wants to be told their style is tacky. In situations where a roommate may have less than desirable decor or furniture options, offer to go shopping together for accent pieces or new items overall. If the furniture cannot be replaced, collaborate on accent pieces that will beautify the room. If you are going to want to keep any decor at the time of separation, save the receipts for a fast and easy move-out.

Roommate Woes

The kitchen is drama free, the apartment is decorated gorgeously but your roommate is still your least favorite person. Remember, the living quarters are just as much theirs as they are yours. Maybe their hygiene needs some work or their annoying boyfriend or girlfriend always comes over at odd hours. There are situations that will arrive that can cause an awkward tension.

To combat the issues that can come from a roommate’s lifestyle, keep an open mind, a friendly yet assertive tone and be a great listener willing to provide an ear. When bothered by your roommate’s lifestyle keep an open mind on the cause of their behavior. It is harmful to make assumptions about what is occurring in anyone’s life.

Once this is considered, approach friendly yet assertively. It is not a good idea to enter a situation with an angry attitude. This will ensure an ugly argument and awkward living situation that could have been avoided. Remain calm when discussing your issues but speak firmly on how their behavior affects you.

It is also great to vent to someone such as a friend, a therapist or a journal. Sometimes having a roommate can be overwhelming. Having someone who is constantly in your presence can be staggering. Sometime’s your roommate’s quirks will bother less after a healthy venting session. If roommate problems get to the point where the sanctity of the lease could be in danger, always talk to your leasing consultant immediately.

Move Like A Pro: 3 Tips for Easy Pain-Free Moving

Posted on March 31, 2017 by admin

Moving can be stressful. From finding the perfect place to the move-in day, relocating, whether across state lines or the next block over, can be a difficult process. Movers are faced with many tasks that can be hard to complete in an effective and timely manner. From scoping out the perfect apartment rentals to organizing and packing, moving takes a lot of hard work.

Although moving is a generally hard task, there are ways to make the process easier for all parties involved. Take the necessary steps to ensure a stress-free move. There are many unforeseen things that can occur, however, with proper preparation and the following tips, moving into a new apartment can be a breeze.

Avoid Last Minute Packing and Pack Efficiently

Waiting until the last minute to pack is the number one cause of a difficult moving process. When moving, the final date at a current residence is made known at least 30 days prior to the exit date. Use as much time as possible to begin the move. Start by packing or transporting large items or seasonal items that will not be put into use for the duration of the move-in process. Getting these things out of the way leaves less to pack once it gets closer to move-in day.

Create a schedule, listing which items to pack which day to avoid last minute packing. Give a time frame such as 14 days and list one room or group of items a day to pack. This will keep the move-in process from deterring a daily schedule. Packing one room a day allows items to be packaged and transported neatly and unpacked efficiently.

Some great tips on packing include labeling boxes by name, number or color. This helps avoid mystery boxes and also aids in less mess. When packing room by room, clearly label the boxes. Closets and garments can be easily packed with garbage bags. Taking a trash bag and grouping items together and tying at the top does not even require hanger removal.

Be Organized, Clean and Take Photos

Take a day or even a few hours before moving in to assess the cleanliness of the apartment and also clean for yourself. Apartments will usually be in livable condition, however, the cleaner the better. Use this time to not only clean the apartment but walk through and assure there is no damage prior to moving in, that was not previously discussed. Take photos of every room at this time to guarantee the return of a security deposit, if applicable.

This is also true of the apartment you are moving out of. Make sure the items being moved into the new place are clean as well as cleaning the apartment itself. Many leasing offices will charge a cleaning fee if the empty apartment is not left up to their standards. Additionally, take photos once you vacate the property. If claims are made about the condition of the apartment, you will have photo evidence to prove or deny any objections.

Build A Great Moving Team

Friends and families are easy options when it comes to helping move into a new apartment. They will be curious to see the new space but a pizza and beer bribery also helps. Make sure your moving team knows which boxes go in which room and that they are in quality shape to help with the move. It is not fun to deal with injuries during the move-in process.

Hiring professional movers is also a way to ensure an easy moving process. If valuables and fragile objects outnumber lower cost decor, hire professionals to transport. It is not worth damaging a relationship over a broken vintage lamp. Professionals are trained to move people in quickly and damage free.

How To Find A Great Apartment

Posted on March 22, 2017 by admin

Apartment hunting can get confusing. From rental apps to deposit fees, the process can be overwhelming, especially if uniformed on proper apartment rental procedures. Things such as leasing terms and location should be considered including the look of the apartment. Use the following tips when searching for your next apartment.

Talk To The Current Residents

If you are scoping out a new apartment and see tenants, do not hesitate to ask them questions about the apartment quality, the leasing office and the neighborhood. Most of the time, people will be more than willing to engage with potential neighbors. This unfiltered unedited review of the apartment may be as honest as they come. If possible, speak with the people who lived there before selecting an apartment. Take their comments into consideration when narrowing down. Ask them how long they have lived there, and about their relationship with other neighbors as well as apartment officials.

Take Advantage Of Apartment Tours

When taking tours of apartments, be sure to ask any and every question that comes to mind. Even if a question seems silly, ask it. Things such as cell phone reception, local public transit availability or the time the mail runs may seem frivolous but can all factor into the appreciation of a new apartment. Jot down everything you enjoyed about your previous resident and make sure to bring them up while on a tour.

Also, take advantage of apartment tours by testing the quality and functionality of the structure and appliances. While in the model apartment, flush the toilets, open the closets, turn on the sinks and anything else that is functioning. The model apartment should operate as the place you will potentially inhabit. Chances are, if the water takes a while to warm up here, it does in all of the apartments.

Visit The Area At Different Times Of The Day

This is important not only to get an estimate on commute time to and from work at various high-traffic points of the day; it also provides a firsthand perspective on the neighborhood. Visit early mornings to see how school bus or rush hour traffic impacts the area. Learn the different routes of commute before hand and rank each apartment complex based on efficiency.

Visiting an apartment at nighttime gives insight on things such as if the area is well lit, if there is heavy nightlife activity in the area and if it is a quiet or a loud place to reside. All of these things should play a role when deciding on a great rental.

Do Not Sign A Lease Without Seeing Your Actual Apartment

So you have made a decision on a new rental (CONGRATS)! This is a great feeling. Once that decision is made a lease will be drafted and a move-in day will be set. Do not sign or agree to a lease and its terms without seeing the actual apartment. Walk through and make sure that everything in the apartment is visually acceptable and works. It is advisable to use a walk-through rental app to take pictures & notes of everything, so you can reduce any discrepancies when it is time to get your security deposit back.

Go over the lease numerous times before signing as well. Make sure you know what you are signing. Review and understand the terms of your lease as well as the utilities that may or may not be included in the price of rent.

How To Find A Roommate

Posted on January 30, 2017 by admin

Many tenants find themselves in a situation where they have to act fast to keep up with the rent. Here are some tips on how to find a roommate.

It has never been easier for people to connect with one another. Instead of figuring out how to get in touch with a friend or a person with mutual interests, the real question today is just what method are you going to use to get in touch with them. There are nearly a dozen popular social media platforms, each with their own distinct rhythm and usefulness. But if getting in touch with people, both in your area and all over the world, has never been easier, then why can it still be so difficult to find a great roommate? Here is a primer for how to go about a roommate search.

Social Media

Using social media to find a roommate has never been a better option. Social media makes it easy to get a pretty good handle on a potential roommate before you move in. This limits the possibility of a roommate turning out much different than you expected, an experience many of us have had. Social media makes it easier to advertise the fact that you are looking for a roommate. Once you’ve done this, you can check out a potential roommate’s account (or multiple different social media accounts) and look for things like shared interests that might make the living situation more enjoyable.

Word Of Mouth

While social media has certainly made it easier to connect instantly with a much wider range of people, there may never be a replacement for old-fashioned, word-of-mouth networking. This is true in a number of areas, and the search for a roommate is chief among them. Simply asking your friends or coworkers if they know somebody who is looking for a roommate can be the best way of finding one. Sure, it might seem like a shot in the dark compared to potentially finding a perfect match on social media. Sometimes, though, you can get so caught up in the information available on line that you miss the obvious solution right in front of you. Perhaps that new co-worker is just as much of a neat-freak as you are and binge watches the same shows online. You never know until you spread the word that you’re looking for a roommate.

Where To Look For Apartments

Posted on January 23, 2017 by admin

Are you tired of trying to find a good place to look for apartments? Here is some solid advice for you.

Moving can be a stressful process. Even if you’re moving for an exciting reason, such as moving to a big city to start your dream job, the process of finding the right apartment can still take its toll. The good news is that there have never been more ways to go about looking for the right apartment. On the other hand, with all of the different sources of information available today, it is also more important than ever before to know how to sort through the glut of info. Here is a list of a few tools that can help you find apartments.

Apartment Rental Apps

The newest way to look for apartments is by using one of the many apartment rental apps that are available today. Instead of limiting yourself to only one of these apps, it can be beneficial, at least in the beginning of your search, to try a few of them and get a feel for the options they turn up. If you know how to use these rental apps, they can be the most efficient way to look for apartments. This is because they allow you to filter the results of your apartment search by the factors you are looking for. For example, you simply type in your price range, desired neighborhood or living area and number of bedrooms, and the app will show you only apartments that meet your specifications. There are other factors you can search by as well. The quicker you get started exploring these apps, the quicker you will be an apartment hunting aficionado.

Social Media

A lot of attention is given to how social media has changed our lives in a number of ways. One area of our life that social media has affected that is perhaps given less attention is the apartment search. Not only is it easier than ever to advertise your apartment search, but social media allows you to check out more about different apartment complexes by looking at their pages—and even checking out potential roommates as well!

Tenant and Renters Rights

Posted on January 16, 2017 by admin

As a tenant, you have certain renters rights that you may not know about. Here’s how to take control of the situation.

Nearly everyone who has ever rented an apartment , other property or Single Family House Rentals has a horror story about a difficult situation with their landlord. There are two sides to every story, of course—every landlord probably has a story about a difficult tenant! There is also the fact that stories tend to be exaggerated over time and are probably a misrepresentation of what really happened.

While many renters are eventually able to look back on these difficult situations with a lighthearted, humorous lens, when renters find themselves in what they perceive to be difficult situations with their landlords it can be a cause of major stress in the moment.

One of the reasons a disagreement or even a miscommunication with your landlord can seem so stressful is because you don’t have a good understanding of renter’s rights.

That’s right, contrary to the belief of many; renters actually have a considerable amount of rights in a rental situation. Even if you don’t have to invoke them, knowing these rights can be a powerful tool and bring peace of mind to the rental process. So how does one go about learning these rights?

Internet Research

There is information about everything on the internet. If you’re a good researcher, you can get a pretty good handle on basic renters rights in less than an hour using a search engine.

As with any internet research, however, it is important to consider the source of the information to avoid making a mistake that could literally cost you in the long run.

Talk With A Local Attorney

Internet research is great if your goal is to get a general grasp on the concept of the rights of renters. If you have a specific issue, though, it would be best to talk with a local attorney who specializes in the rental process and rental agreements. Tenant Moving Assistance can help with moving difficulties that you face in daily lives.

Tenant Legal Rights

This is because tenants rights and regulations vary from state to state and even from locality to locality. If you feel your rights, as a renter, have been violated or are in the middle of dispute involving potential monetary damages, it is advisable to speak with a local attorney.

Local contacts

Most cities have a tenant council or organization that helps tenants. They are usually well aware of the local, state and federal fair housing laws. Those laws protect tenants from discrimination, unfair application questions, and insure fair treatment for everyone seeking a rental.

Look here to know more in detail about Best Home Rental Sites

Renting From Your Phone

Posted on January 10, 2017 by admin

There are some good reasons why you should be renting from your phone. Let’s take a look at why.

The amount of activities that can be done from a smartphone is truly astonishing. For many people, their phone also serves as a bank, game system, GPS device, camera and more. The amount of things we use our phone for is staggering, and it is only growing with each passing day. One of the less commonly acknowledged aspects of our lives that smartphones are making their way into is the process of renting a house or apartment. This was formerly an aspect of our life that required extensive face-to-face interaction at every step of the process; now, however, much of the work can be done remotely. Here is a look at one of the ways we can make headway in the rental process from a smartphone.

Rental Apps

More and more people are using rental apps to find the perfect rental property for their situation. Though it is hard for some young people to remember or even imagine a time when convenient apps were not the primary means to get things done, the process of renting a house or apartment used to rely more on human interaction. People would see ads in the paper for rental properties, call the number listed, schedule a time to go look at the property and then decide if it was a good fit—if it was still available. They also relied heavily on word of mouth, asking people if they knew of any good rental property options. They might simply drive around themselves looking. While all of these traditional methods are still used, rental apps are able to streamline the rental process for many. Rental apps aggregate all of the rental options available within a given location and price range (something that would have been impossible and very work/time intensive to do before), Rental apps also usually provide pictures of the rental unit itself, which can help you focus on visiting options you know you may like and filter out other options before a trip is wasted.

What do first-time renters need to know before moving in?

Posted on January 3, 2017 by admin

The key to a successful stay in a rental home or apartment is knowing exactly what you are getting into. That means the tenant needs to spend some time with the rental agreement, with the landlord, and with other people that have experienced renting in the past. If it is a complicated lease or a commercial lease, it is probably best to let a legal expert take a look at it. It is easy to let the excitement of getting out on your own overshadow the responsibilities of being a tenant for the first time. Here are some tips to consider.

1. Don’t skip over the details. Many first-time renters look at the monthly payment and lease terms then gloss over the rest of their lease agreement. As they say, the ‘devil is in the details’. Even though it might say lease ‘agreement’ at the top of the page, it is definitely a binding legal ‘contract’. Pay special attention to the late fee charges and security deposit disposition. Regarding the late fee, how much is it, what is the grace period, and can it grow indefinitely? What happens if you go to pay rent on the last day of the grace period and the office is closed for a holiday? For the security deposit, how quickly will you get it back when you leave? What do you have to do in order to get all of your deposit back? What are the pet policies and the policy for having a friend spend the night? Where should they park?

2. Repair and Maintenance questions often cause conflicts between tenants and landlords. When can the landlord or maintenance person walk in to your apartment to work on something? What are your responsibilities to maintain your air conditioning filters or light bulbs? How quickly does your landlord need to respond to your repair request? These are questions you need to know about.

3. What are your rights? Maybe you didn’t know that your next door neighbor is in a rock band that practices at night. As a tenant, you should have the right to ‘quiet and peaceful enjoyment’ of your rental property. Find out the procedure to enforce that right. The landlord might decide to remodel the rental next door, so take a look around and make sure that there is nothing that would disturb your peace. You also have the right to not be asked any questions that might violate the fair housing laws. These questions involve race, religion, sex, country of origin, disability and familial status. You should do an Internet search and be familiar with that before talking to your landlord.

Lastly, go into this binding agreement with your eyes wide open and ask lots of questions. If your landlord avoids answering, you should be concerned. However, if the agreement is thoroughly discussed and you are aware of everything you are signing, you can expect a good relationship with your landlord. After all, your landlord wants a happy tenant that might stay a long time, provide good references and reviews, pay the rent promptly, and take care of the property. Know exactly what you are getting into and your first-time renting experience can be a great one!