Tag Archives: tenant.rentals

tenant.rentals Welcomes New Marketing VP

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New tenant.rentals Marketing VP - Veronica RamirezAustin, Texas— Veronica Ramirez has been named the new Marketing VP for tenant.rentals, a website dedicated to creating a better renting experience for tenants.

The focus of tenant.rentals is primarily on the needs of tenants and tenant issues. There are numerous tenant services provided by tenant.rentals, a rapidly growing market since more and more people are choosing to rent rather than purchase homes. Additionally, tenant.rentals provides services and advice for landlords that want to develop better relationships with their tenants.

“We’re thrilled Veronica is joining our team. She brings a fresh outlook along with brand management and marketing savvy to tenant.rentals,” said Wayne Gathright, President of tenant.rentals. “Veronica will play an important role in our company as we continue to expand and build our marketing strategy for tenant.rentals.”

Veronica joins the company with a goal of building, developing and managing marketing and social media outreach for tenant.rentals.  “I’m excited to be a part of tenant.rentals,” said Veronica. “There is so much opportunity for growth as we continue to evolve the Tenant.com brand. There are over 118 million tenants in the United States alone, and we intend to tap into that huge market to provide the services that are lacking.”

Since starting her career, Veronica has served in a wide range of roles that attribute to her experience as Marketing VP. She has prior experience in the software industry, having served as director of marketing and director of customer relations for a design company as well as a business analyst and test engineer for a software development company. Veronica is a graduate of Texas State University and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electronic Media & Mass Communication.  Her experience includes marketing director of Bella Neela Photography & Design as well as having a background working in the the technology industry.

Veronica also is a proud Veteran. She served in the United States Army with the 4th Infantry Division at Fort Hood, Texas. “I am proud to have served in the Army,” said Veronica. “It taught me a lot about responsibility, leadership and a “get it done” attitude, and I feel I bring those qualities with me with every position I have worked.”

Part of Veronica’s responsibilities at tenant.rentals will be advancing the company brand, web traffic and promoting events. She will also be charged with increasing website engagement with current tenants and landlords as well as attracting new clients with marketing campaigns to further the success of tenant.rentals.

About tenant.rentals

tenant.rentals has a motto ‘All Things Tenant Related’. The goal of tenant.rentals is to provide valuable services for tenants under ‘one roof’. Such services include helping tenants find a rental property, locate compatible roommates, communicate with landlords, find legal documents and legal assistance, pay rent online, get help moving into a rental, and much more. There is a wealth of information for common tenant questions, as well as a free eBook “What ALL Tenants REALLY Need to KNOW”, written by Wayne Gathright, president of tenant.rentals.
For more information, please visit www.tenant.rentals.

What You Should Know Before Subletting

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tenant.rentals subletting agreementSo, you’re living happily in your apartment with three of your friends, when you suddenly get a great job offer that requires you to move to another city . . . what’s the problem? Your lease doesn’t end for another six months and you can’t pay two rent checks each month. At this point, subletting seems like the best option for you, and maybe it is. How can you make sure the sublease process goes smoothly for you and your roommates?

Subleasing is when the current tenant rents their property out to another tenant. The new tenant is then required to pay rent and follow the terms of the lease. But the catch is that the current tenant usually still holds the overall responsibility according to the terms of the lease. A huge part of subleasing is making sure that you find a good lessee. Because the responsibility of the property still falls on you, you want someone who will take care of the property and make sure nothing goes wrong.

Subleasing can is a great option if handled properly. However, some tenants are taking advantage of a hot rental market and profiting from it, causing all sorts of problems. Airbnb offers a service that allows site visitors to rent extra rooms or even empty couches. This is becoming a big issue in large cities, since it usually violates the lease agreement and the people paying for the short term rental are not properly vetted. Unless the lease permits subletting, this action could allow the landlord to evict the original tenant. It may even violate city ordinances or local law.

If you are on good terms with your landlord, and need to sublet, you should ask for a sublet agreement. You may need to pay the landlord a fee to draft and execute the document. The agreement might have the following terms:

  1. A defined starting and ending date
  2. A statement that “Any and all subtenants shall be required to conform to all obligations and covenants of the Tenant as set forth in the above-described lease, all provisions of said lease remaining in full force and effect for the entire term of the sublease.”
  3. A requirement that the subletting person sign a separate lease agreement.
  4. A statement that the original tenant is not released from any responsibility as set forth in the original lease.

As a tenant with a valid lease in force, even if you sublease, you must always remember that you are responsible for the actions of the person you sublease to. So you must be careful in choosing whom you rent to, and maintain contact to be sure things are going smoothly. If you think that your move will be permanent, it might be a better idea to help the landlord find a suitable replacement, and have the landlord release you from the lease completely. That might enable you to get your security deposit back, and absolve you from any further responsibility.

#CollegeCorner – Proximity

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The days of living in a dorm are (finally) over and you need to find a new place to spend your college years at…where to look? Having lived in a dorm, far from campus, and close to campus, I can definitely say that you get the best experience living close to campus.

Whenever there’s anything going on with my university, it happens on campus. A lot of people think that because you’re no longer living in a dorm you automatically become disconnected from whatever is happening at your university, but this isn’t the case at all. Living close to campus, but not in a dorm, allows you to experience on-campus activities with the freedom of having your own place.

Close proximity is also great because you won’t have to drive or catch the bus to campus, you can walk! I’ve saved hours of time by walking to class instead of looking for parking; you’ll definitely thank yourself on the days you want to sleep-in. The close proximity means you’ll also be close to the library, food court, gym, basically all the places on camp that you frequent.

Finding a place in close proximity to campus is also a really easy task, probably easier than finding a place far from campus, or ending up with a good dorm. Most property managers lease places close to campus because they know that that’s what students want. Take advantage of the fact that you’re gonna have tons of options and find a place that you know will make your college years great.

college

Property Manager Monday

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Due to the nature of the arrangement, you’ll most likely be dealing with the management personnel from the property you live at pretty frequently. They’ll be the ones handling your rent, your maintenance requests, and the overall experience living at that property. It’s hard to know whether or not you’ve found yourself a good property manager until you move in, so it’s important to do some research before you get yourself in too deep.

Check reviews online to see what previous residents of that property have to say about the management. The internet can reveal all sorts of things that you wouldn’t find out from visiting the property and speaking to the management. Ask around and see if anyone you know lives at that property and talk to them about their experiences with the management; have they had trouble getting in contact with the property manager? Do maintenance requests take a long time to fulfill? Does the management reach out to residents? Is the community well-equipped? These are all things that you should know before making the decision to move there or not. The management may come off as super nice and helpful, and that may be the case, but you really won’t know how residents are treated until you move in.

If the management at the place you’re interested in runs more than one property, check it out and see what it’s like. Consistency is very important, and you want to find a property manager that is consistent in making residents happy.

property manager

Downsizing – Size Doesn’t have to Matter

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When you’re looking for a new place, there may be a chance that you’re forced to compromise size for something else (like an awesome location). You shouldn’t be scared of downsizing! Embrace the situation and take it as a chance to change up your home, and life.

Since you’re going to have to reduce the amount of stuff you had from your previous home, make it a point to clean your life up. Get rid of clothes that you haven’t worn in over six months, because you most likely won’t end up wearing them. If you’re iffy about letting your stuff go, consider consigning it! This is an awesome way to earn some extra cash (that can be put towards your new home) and also a great incentive to get rid of even more. When you downsize, you really have choice but to get rid of things, so make the best of it that you can.

Take advantage of your newly acquired smaller space and make an awesome organization system. You know all those cool Ikea and Container Store closet systems? This is the perfect time to finally get one! A smaller space isn’t bad, it provides you with lots of room to be creative in your organizing. Think of it as a chance to finally make those Pinterest organizational DIY projects that you never really needed before.

downsizing

Spring Cleaning in the Fall

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There’s a constant notion that spring is the time of year when we’re supposed to clean up our homes and make a totally fresh start. What a lot of people don’t realize, though, is that fall is also an awesome time to clean and change your home!

What is it that sets fall apart for this kind of thing?

Well, fall is when college classes start up for the year, and when kids are packing up all of their stuff to move into their new dorms and homes. For this reason, this is the time of year when you’ll find more organization systems, cleaning supplies, and furniture in stores than any cleaningother time of year. College students need to stock up on stuff for their dorm rooms, so stores take advantage and of this and fill up their shelves with these items. Thinking of redoing your closet? Wait ’till dorm season starts and you’ll probably have way more to pick from than if you decide to look at a different time of the year. Stores will highlight cleaning supplies especially (parents want their kids to clean!), so a lot of the time you’ll find things like multi-purpose cleaning wipes and scrub brushes on sale. Stores like Target and Walmart are great for these kinds of finds, making it super easy for you to establish a totally new cleaning season for yourself.

Another often unnoticed benefit of cleaning is your relationship with your landlord. When a landlord notices that you care about keeping your rental clean, he/she will see you as a tenant that will protect the property owner’s investment. So, be sure to let your landlord know when you intend to spend some time cleaning, maybe even ask if the landlord can provide some cleaning supplies or tools for you to use.

To take it a step further, your landlord might be willing to pay for paint or other supplies if you agree to do the work. So, let your landlord know that your really care about your rental home, and the next time you need a favor from your landlord, you might have some additional leverage.

If you are really busy, and can afford it, maybe you should hire a cleaning service to do the work on a weekly basis. BE SURE to let your landlord know about this, because it is not a good idea to let just anyone into your apartment, and you could be violating your lease conditions. Besides, giving someone your key could get you into other trouble or end up with you losing some possessions if the cleaning person is untrustworthy. By the way, that is a good reason you should have renter’s insurance!

Additionally, there are cameras that can monitor the inside of your apartment (via phone), and they are usually under $200.00. This way you can keep an eye on anyone inside your rental, and also comes in handy if you have an unattended pet.

At tenant.rentals, we are busy setting up relationships with reputable companies that provide cleaning services in your area. Here are some suggested companies.

The Lease Application

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When you’re first starting to look for a new rental home, you’ll most likely be viewing all kinds of properties and talking to tons of different landlords; once you’ve found the right home, you’ll start the process of applying to rent the home. Rental applications are pretty easy to fill out, but that doesn’t mean you should take them lightly!

Basically, rental applications are what landlords require possible tenants to complete to see whether or not the property is a good fit for them. What does this mean for you? As far as the information you’ll have to provide, your possible landlord will need basic information from you, as well as a few more specific things. You’ll have to give your contact information (how else will they tell you that you’re approved?!), information about your current and/or previous place of residence, proof of employment, proof of income, and maybe a recommendation or a personal reference number, among other things. Aside from the proof of employment and proof of income, a lease application isn’t too different from a job application. Your landlord requires those other pieces of information in order to be able to determine whether or not you’ll be able to pay for the property, and whether or not you have a history of being a good (or bad) tenant. As far as the other things that you may be asked on the application, be prepared to disclose the balance of your bank account, and your social security (to perform credit checks). Again, these are required so that your possible landlord can guarantee that you’ll be able to pay your rent.

credit report

 

Baby Love

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Some parents (or expecting parents)  may seem concerned about the process of baby proofing a home that isn’t theirs, but if done correctly, it isn’t difficult at all.

Start off by talking to your landlord about the property. If your landlord has lived in the home before, they may be able to tell you which room would be best suited for the baby (i.e. if a room is too cold, or too noisy); this way, you’ll know which room you should focus on most. Though it’s really only an issue in older homes, find out what type of paint your landlord used to paint the walls in the home because lead paint has been proven to be harmful to babies. If your landlord did use a paint brand that contains lead, paint over it with a newer paint that won’t harm the baby.

Take a look at common household things that may pose a risk and fix them up so that your baby won’t be harmed. The cords on blinds can be extremely dangerous for babies (and young children) because they can easily get tangled in them and be strangled. An easy baby proofing fix for this is to tie and secure the cords high up so that there is absolutely no risk of the baby being able to reach them. If you use something like Command Hooks, you won’t have any wall damage leftover once the cords can be let down. As far as wall sockets, you can purchase covers that can’t be removed by babies at places like Home Depot, or even Target. For cabinets, buy locks that only you or other adults in your home can open. A lot of these are made of strong magnets or adhesive, so you won’t need to worry about repairing the cabinet when you move out. You may also want to consider snap on locks for cabinets; they cause no damage and are easy for you to install. These kinds of locks can also be installed on refrigerators and toilets.

Don’t think that because your home is a rental you can’t make it safe for your baby! Follow the right steps and safety will be ensured.

baby proof

Hurricane Help

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Seeing as we’re almost two months into the official hurricane season, it’s important to know what kind of steps you need to take to stay safe.

First off, know exactly how big of an impact hurricanes have had in your area in the past. If you live in an area that has felt the wrath of hurricanes strongly in the past, keep yourself stocked up in case a hurricane decides to come through. Make sure you have lots of water, emergency food, flashlights, batteries, and things like radios, to keep you safe. Once the hurricane starts you can’t be leaving your home so you really need to be prepared at all times. You should also look into what emergency center is nearest to you, because you may need to end up leaving your home to seek shelter there, either before or after the storm.

Chances are, if you live in area prone to hurricanes, your landlord probably has some kind of shutters for your property. If this is the case, you’re set as far as windows and doors. If not, consider using plywood to board up your windows and doors to prevent the wind from breaking them and causing big damage.  Also, make sure you secure all items that are outside; bring in the things that you can, and securely tie down whatever cannot be brought inside. If you have covers your for cars, put them on! Things are going to be flying all around so you don’t want your car to be feeling the impact, too.

A lot of times your landlord may have lived in your home before renting it out to you; if so, ask them how they went about hurricane prep! They’ve lived in the home so they know how the impact will be and how to go about the situation.

hurricane