Renting 101

Looking for a rental home? I think more and more people will be searching for a home to rent, especially in todays crazy market! Sold a house too quickly and need a place to live? Why not rent a home for awhile until you figure out where you want to live? Building up your credit so that you can buy? Saving money for a down payment? Interest rates too high right now? Own pets and need a backyard for them? Why not rent?

With the cost of apartments on the rise, renting a home just makes sense. You have your own space. You have a yard, a garage, 3 bedrooms, and all for the same cost or even less than an apartment. Need to share with a roommate? Homes are the best way to share rent, because you typically have more square footage, meaning more space to move around in. Renting just make sense.

So, what does it take to rent a home these days? Well, here is the deal. Landlords want you to make 3x the rent in gross income, 650+ credit score, no broken leases, no extensive debt, no aggressive breeds, no felonies, and good employment and rental history. Sound like too much? Its really not. Think about it this way. Would you want just anyone living in a home that you purchased?

To find the right home, it takes a whole lot of time and research. Sometimes applications are already going through, but the realtor for the landlord is waiting on a background check or the deposit. Thats why its good to have a realtor who knows how to research the homes, call the landlords agent to verify the status of the rental home, and make sure they accept pets. We are your advocate for the home! {Side note: Beware of scammers too on Craigslist. Rememberif it sounds too good to be true, then it probably isnt true} Realtors will walk you through filling out an application, and then go over the lease and various addendums when approved. Realtors will even make sure you remember to setup your utilities!

Landlords cover the commissions for the realtors, so why not use a realtor to ease the stress of finding a rental home and help you through the process? I love helping renters, so give me call today!