Those who’ve been in the rental market would agree that finding the right rental home is challenging. As the millennial market is not able to break into the home owning property market, nor do they necessarily want to, there’s now a crowd vying for single-family rental homes.
Be ahead of the game with these tips.
1. Start your rental search early in the month
The best rentals, in terms of price, location and amenities, go earlier in the month. So, don’t wait until mid-month to look for a new place to live. It’s best to start searching 60 days before you need to move, especially if you are looking for a rental property in a location where there aren’t many home rentals available.
The second and third weekends of the month tend to be the busiest. If you start your search in the first weekend of the month, there will be less competition and the best properties will still be available.
2. Begin your search online but don’t stop there
When starting your search, begin online. Looking at a wide range of properties is a good method to gauge prices and amenities.
However, if you’re moving to a new city, searching online alone would not tell you enough about the important features of the neighborhood such as whether the streets are quite or busy, what is the proximity to shopping and restaurants, and how easy is the access to parks and playgrounds.
Thus, drive or take a walk in different neighborhoods at different times during the day to decide on the best neighborhood for you and your family.
And finally, you can join a local community Facebook group to get a feel for the local issues.
3. Beware of scammers
Be aware of online scams, particularly ads that require you to provide your credit card information to pay a deposit fee to be shown the rental home. No one should require a deposit to show you a rental home.
Also, be careful if you are renting a rental home directly from a private person because you will be giving your Social Security number, your bank account information and they will likely run a credit check on you.
4. Ask For a 13 Month or longer lease
If you’re in a competitive marketplace, one way to get a landlord’s attention is to offer to sign a 13-month or longer lease. This is particularly helpful if a traditional 12-month lease would expire in November or December. As it is often difficult to rent properties in those months, a longer lease in this case that expires in Spring would be more attractive to the landlords.
5. Use social media
Share on social media that you are looking for a rental home.
Once your friends know you’re interested in renting a home, many will naturally notify you of real estate options coming to the market.
Our advice: Searching for a rental home does not have to be a daunting task. With these tips and some perseverance, you can find a home that meets the needs of you and your family.