Working with a Realtor to find a Lease

How to Find a Rental Property

Looking for a property to rent?  Well welcome to the crowd.  Lots of people are renting and lots of people are looking.

The easiest and most efficient to find a rental property is to work with one Realtor.  Instead of driving around and trying to reach each individual agent on signs, contact a Realtor near you that can work for you. The beauty of this is that you don’t have to pay the Realtor because the seller/landlord pays both his agent and yours.

Find a Realtor who takes the time to listen to your needs and criteria. A Realtor who asks a lot of questions is a good thing.  If you tell your Realtor what you need and want, you shouldn’t have to look at more than 4 homes.  That’s my average.  And don’t be offended by the questions being asked.  Its our job to get to know you in order to act as an advocate for you.

Landlords are generally looking for good rental history and income 3 times the amount of the rent.  They may have varying criteria when it comes to credit scores.  Most landlords understand that a lot of people who are looking to rent have some credit issues.

Also the best time to start your search is a maximum of 4 weeks prior to your target move date.  Give your notice and then start looking.  The majority of landlords will probably not hold a property longer than 4 weeks anyway.  As I mentioned earlier, the leasing market is hot and the landlord knows he can probably get someone in his property pretty quickly if the renter meets the qualifications and his property is in good condition.

After you find what you want, your Realtor should call and talk with the other agent to discuss any special issues you may have.  In that way, you are not paying an Application Fee on a property that isn’t going to work out. 

It’s all about communication, trust and having a process.