At one point or the other everyone in his or her life faces this question as to whether go for a rented accommodation or by his own dream home. Some people opt for the rented abodes while others prefer to invest their money in buying a home. This is a very crucial decision and one has to consider all aspects before making the final call as there is always a possibility of things going topsy-turvey and your dream of buying a home can become the biggest nightmare of your life which might end up with financial crunches.

 Advantages of Renting

• Monthly rentals – as the monthly rental installments can be planned before hand so there is no place left for uncertainties, though there is a rise in the rental rates every year but this is also not unsure.
• Legal requirements of having a rent or a lease agreement in place are important. This agreement is normally for a year or 11 months depending on the applicable legislations. But this agreement can be annulled at landlord’s will during the said tenure; there is always an uncertainty over rental places.
• Cost of moving from one rented place to another one after the lease expires.
• Emotional cost of moving from one rented house to another along with the loss of accrued property.
• Opportunity cost required in the case of rented homes is the price appreciation
• No threat engaged in the form of any changes in the real estate sector.
• Tax benefits can be availed by staying in the rented accommodation as many employers have to pay House rent allowance to the employees staying at rented houses. However, this normally offsets the tax benefit as it is counted for the interest paid out on home loan, though it may vary from one situation to another.

Advantages of Buying

• Amount involved in buying an own home can be computed and can be paid as per the expediency-no uncertainty involved if the buyers goes for the construction linked plan.
• Legal requirements include in case of new property are title deed, sale deed, stamp duty and registration agreement, in case of resale property transfer deed is also required.
• Expenses have to be borne for maintenance, utilities, renovations and other such issues including the property tax as well.
• Emotional gain as being capable enough to accumulate and contribute towards the property accrued.
• Opportunity cost incurred is in the form of cost of capital.
• Risk involved is that the real estate sector is always accompanied with a huge amount uncertainty which eventually effects that the final price appreciation of the home bought. There is also a financial risk involved with the rise of the interest rates of home loan in case if taken.
• Tax benefit evaluation needs to be calculated as this might vary in different situations.

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If you are fortunate enough to have never had a hostile tenant, then you either:

a) know something great that you should tell, or
b) you have not been a landlord very long.

If the former is true, then feel free to stop reading here and continue in your Zen greatness. As for the rest of us, unfortunately, there is no “Staples Easy Button” when it comes to dealing with difficult tenants. They come from all walks of life, and their moods, personalities, quirks, desires, and eccentricities vary as much as the variety of properties that are available for rent. It is nerve-racking enough to take the leap and purchase investment property. That anxiety is all the more maddening when it involves entrusting your real property to tenants you have never before met, especially when they turn out to be people you wish you had never met.

No landlord or landlord attorney, Zen or not, would ever wisely claim to have all the answers. However, drawing collectively on experience gained from numerous landlord-tenant legal battles, the following are some hints that may help in trying to make sense of difficult rental relationships:

1.  Always keep a professional demeanor. I cannot emphasize enough that this is RULE NUMBER ONE. Not only is this a good general rule in life, it can greatly impact any legal issues that may arise. I have seen one too many clients whose poor attitudes toward their tenants consistently cause what would normally be minor legal disputes to turn into protracted and expensive legal battles that are ruled more by emotion than logical decision making.

2.  Adopt a rule that states a resident agrees to act in a manner that will not disturb the peaceful and quiet enjoyment of neighbors, other residents, or unreasonably disturb your ability to manage the property or conduct business activities.

3.  Document in writing, with video, and photographs each act that constitutes a violation and/or unreasonable disruption of your ability to manage.

4.  Report any serious violations to the Police Department and aid in prosecution.

5.  Issue the resident a written notice for each breach of the Lease Agreement (or Termination Notice if the violation is serious enough) with a demand that he/she communicate to management only in writing as to any concerns regarding the property. Include in the notice that the only exception to such written communication would be that of an emergency situation.

6.  Be prepared to enforce the rules if the resident continues to act in a defensive manner. Do not be afraid to stand up for yourself, but always do so in a professional and non-aggressive manner. Never let any resident be abusive to you without consequence. If you allow abuse from any resident, you open the door to continued abuse from that resident, as well as any other resident who finds out.

7.  Use a recording device whenever you talk to such a resident (assuming that doing so is legal in your state). A recorder can help you be on the offensive and not feel like you are constantly on the defense when residents are rude, obnoxious, swearing, intimidating, threatening, embarrassing, demanding, or outrageous.

8.  Make sure that you treat all residents consistently as to avoid Fair Housing issues. This includes developing a protocol for addressing all potential and actual tenants, both during the application process and during the lease itself.

9.  Do not give “warning” notices. Keep your notices consistent with those outlined in the law, such as a 3-Day Notice to cure the violation. If utilized effectively, the notices provide almost all of the tools you need to provide the warnings you believe are necessary, while at the same preserving your rights as a landlord to exercise your legal remedies when the time comes.

One last bit of Zen wisdom: “Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.”
It is my hope that these bits of wisdom will help in dealing with the pain of a difficult tenant, with as little suffering as possible.

Because the facts and circumstances vary for each individual, we encourage you to contact us regarding the facts pertaining to your case to determine how the laws discussed in this article apply to you.

by Josh Deere, Attorney at Hanes Hrbacek & Bartels, LLC

Retailers really need to go through their lease documents with a fine-tooth comb!

Whilst a few years ago, retail tenants may have given scant thought to the finer wording of a lease in their haste to secure a prime location, the world has changed and such short term views cannot now be taken.  So what should a tenant look at when negotiating a lease to its advantage?

Term

It cannot be stated strongly enough that unless a favourable break clause can be negotiated, a short term is a favourable option to a tenant.  If trading conditions change, the tenant can review its position and take a view on whether to renegotiate the rent on lease expiry or simply pull out of the premises.  Without this flexibility, a tenant could find itself burdened with overheads on an unwanted property for many years, whilst having to pay business rates and be responsible for maintenance also.  The increasing number of voids on the High Street and the abolition of empty business rates relief have put landlords under pressure to fill units, which a tenant can use to its advantage during negotiations.

Break clauses

This goes hand in hand with term, really.  If a longer term is agreed, it is certainly worth inserting at least one break option, so that the lease can be terminated by the tenant if so desired.  Often break clauses are worded so as to make them validly operated only if certain conditions are met by the tenant, these may range from payment of rent to the handing over of original deeds to the landlord.  A break clause should ideally be unconditional: this will reduce the margin for error.  Care should be taken when drafting and serving the break notice, as the lease will often set out rules governing the means of service, the deemed service provisions and the party to whom the break notice must be addressed.  Even an unconditional break option therefore carries its pitfalls and it is worth taking expert advice prior to serving a notice, as the financial consequences of serving an invalid break notice far outweigh the cost of such advice.

Alienation and concessions

Leases often provide that a tenant may only part with possession of the whole of the premises, whether by assignment or subletting.  In the current climate, many tenants find that they no longer need all of their space and could operate a more profitable operation if they could dispose of part of their demise.  It is therefore useful to negotiate that ability into a lease, which can allow a retailer to sublet so as to bring in complimentary neighbour, paying rent and potentially attracting additional footfall, or to assign part of the demise to a non-competitor, significantly reducing overheads.  The ability to allow concessions into stores is also desirable, as they can again be mutually beneficial.

Service charge

The service charge provisions in a lease can add a significant sum to a tenant’s outgoings, so steps should be taken do minimise these if possible.  It is useful to impose a service charge cap, limiting the amount that a landlord can charge in a given year.  In the case of shopping centres, does the tenant have its own marketing campaign?  If so, it should try to avoid contributing towards the any marketing costs that the landlord may incur in promoting the centre.  Are certain tenants more likely to cause wear and tear than others?  Again, factor this in.  Ensure that the landlord justifies its expenditure.

Repair

Dilapidations are often a huge source of contention between a landlord and tenant.  A good option is to insert into a lease a schedule of condition, documenting the state of the premises at the start of the lease and limiting the tenant to bringing it back up to that standard.  Otherwise, a tenant may find its landlord seeking what is in essence an improvement of the premises, at the tenant’s expense.  Tenants should also be wary of landlords serving an interim schedule of dilapidations, as in many cases, these can be challenged.  It is always worth undertaking a survey prior to lease expiry and liaising with the landlord to ensure that any items of dilapidation are remedied before the premises is handed back, so as to minimise any claim.

Rent review provisions

Most leases provide that rent can go up on review, but not down.  In recent years, that has put established tenants at a huge disadvantage as compared to new tenants coming into the market, as open market rents have gone down.  When negotiating a lease, a tenant should try to ensure that the rent can be reviewed in either direction.  Whilst on renewal a lease generally follows the existing lease, if a tenant can show that rent may go down as well as up, it may be able to challenge the upwards-only nature of the existing rent review clause.

Final thoughts: A lease is a huge investment…

A lease is a huge investment for a tenant – it pays to get it right.  The list above is not exhaustive but should hopefully give tenants a steer in the right direction.  If in doubt on any aspects of a lease, seek specialist advice.  A solicitor will be able to assist and in certain circumstances a chartered surveyor should also be instructed.  With the correct advice, a tenant can avoid being tied into an onerous lease and reduce the likelihood of it becoming the latest High Street casualty.

This blog was written by David Linklater is a property litigator at SA Law LLP in Hertfordshire who specialises in the retail sector. His expertise covers all aspects of commercial property litigation, acting for tenants, landlords, investors and developers. David advises on a whole range of commercial property scenarios, including business lease renewals and termination, dilapidations disputes, advice on forfeiture, the property insolvency regime and restructuring advice, rent reviews, advice concerning the acquisition of land and buildings and the rights pertaining thereto, actions against trespassers and telecommunications advice.

Established in 2005, SA Law is a market-leading law firm. Operating fromSt Albans in Hertfordshire, it provides businesses and individuals with expert advice and representation.

If you would like more information or advice relating to a specific matter, please do not hesitate to contact me on 01727 798097 or by email at david.linklater@salaw.com. Follow me on Twitter @SA_RetailGuru or connect with me on LinkedIn at http://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjlinklater .

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For some businesses the approval meant getting their first lease in about 14 years.

The city council had approved the terms in May, but it required the approval of area merchants.

The main highlight of the agreement is a 20-year lease with a 20-year renewal option.

When we take on a new property, we are consistently surprised at how many tenants and landlords enter into oral lease agreements. We think a written lease agreement is an essential tool that protects both tenants and landlords.

Written leases should outline both major and minor details important to everyone involved. Remember, if it’s important to you, put it in the lease.

Here is a list of typical provisions set forth in a lease.

1. Identification of Property
2. Number of persons who are to reside in the unit
3. Security Deposit
4. Rent Amount
5. Rent Due Date
6. Late penalty fee
7. Utility responsibilities
8. Yard Care
9. Trash Removal
10. Repair Responsibility
11. Subleasing
12. Whether pets are allowed

For more information on Colorado Springs Property Management, please visit http://www.springshomesforrent.com

In instances like this, the place in it involves legal issues, you are proposed to search for for specialized information. If you are not extremely acquainted of these kinds of agreement, your legal counsel can make clear it to you for a clearer understanding. Bear in brain that every little thing you have talked about with the operator must all be place into agreement to formalize them. You have to be mindful of the details of the agreement this kind of as expiration of the contract, month-to-month rental and the agreed worth of the house. It will be your advantage if the price of the home will grow while in the lease period given that you will have to spend the agreed cost at the time of doing the contract. But if the current market price of the actual estate goes down, you can not appreciate the price tag markdown.

The choice of purchasing the residence is not compulsory. On the other hand, you can not withdraw or get back your down payment. These amount will serve as the compensation of the operator for not promoting the residence while in the contract period. Typically, the agreement is fair enough to equally parties.

Even though there are any numbers of houses to lease, lease to own properties are not quick to come across. Lease to private houses are also acknowledged as lease to invest in households or lease with the prospect to buy houses. Nevertheless all these names are applied for rent to private residences, the set up is basically the exact.

The notion of lease to individual households delivers the renter the opportunity to buy the residence when the time of rent is up. Usually, the quantity compensated as lease will be subtracted when the occupant of the property buys the residence. The deal will be settled following negotiations according to the current market figures. Even so, the factors are adaptable and are based mostly on the predicament of the time. In sure scenarios the value is made a decision following negotiation even prior to the moving in of the renter. rent to own ontario, how rent to own works

In this next case, the plaintiffs owned a home on an island for many years. On September 17, 2001, plaintiffs signed a land contract in which their son, defendant-Gary, would purchase the property. The contract provided that plaintiffs could live in the home for life or as long as they could live unassisted. On January 3, 2002, plaintiffs transferred ownership to the defendant through a quitclaim deed. The deed did not contain the same language from the land contract or any language referring to the plaintiffs’ right to use and/or possess the property. Until 2006, the plaintiffs continued their customary practice of residing at the home from May to September each year. In September 2006, plaintiffs arrived at the home with someone the defendant had said (when the land contract was signed) was not allowed to be on the property. A confrontation ensued and the defendant said plaintiffs could no longer use the property. Plaintiffs brought this suit to reform the quitclaim deed to give them a right to use the property, as well as to seek damages and injunctive relief. The Michigan Court of Appeals decided that the trial court was correct in determining the deed should be changed to reflect that parties intended the plaintiffs to be able to use the property, but disagreed with the trial court’s ruling that the plaintiffs were entitled to exclusive use and possession of the property. The evidence clearly supported plaintiffs’ claim that the parties intended the plaintiffs be able to reside there as long as they could do so without assistance. However, it was also clear that both parties were entitled to possession and use of the property. Thus, the court ruled that the deed should only be amended to reflect the right of plaintiffs to reside at the home unassisted. Rhodes v. Rhodes.

Word has it, that the owner collects first and last month’s rent from tenants and doesn’t give them a signed copy of the lease agreement.  He then, either evicts them a month or two after they move in, keeping their last months rent; or he keeps their first and last and claims they never signed anything in the first place.   Sometimes, the tenants don’t even get a chance to move in!  I don’t know how accurate this information is, but the sources are reliable.  If this is the case, there’s got to be some way to stop him.  Because that is definitely criminal!

He told me that he lived almost directly behind the house.  He even showed me the house where he (apparently) lives.  According to the friend of the family (the one he ripped off), he had told her he lived out of town and wouldn’t be around often.  The woman in reference, is a single mother who also runs a home daycare.  She had all of her house packed up in boxes, had paid money for rent and was ready to move in, when the owner of the house called her to say he couldn’t rent to her.  He didn’t even give her a reason.  And since she didn’t have a signed copy of the lease, he’s now claiming that she never game him any money!

So, this poor lady now has to find a new place to live for her family, AND she has no money left for first and last.  After hearing all of this, I’m not so sold on the idea of moving to that house after all, even if the house is EVERYTHING I want.  I know that I’ve learned enough by now to not let this happen to me, but I don’t like the idea of even renting from a crook.

If anyone knows how to look into something like this in Canada, please let me know.  Even if I don’t rent from him, I would like to make sure that other people aren’t getting screwed by this man.  Of course, I won’t stir anything up unless I know for sure that these things are happening.

So, I’ll be doing my own research and talking to the current tenants (who are being evicted), the neighbours, the lady who lost her money; and I’ll stop in at the house he pointed out to me to see if he really lives there.  After all, these are just things I’ve heard.  I have no actual proof of anything.  There could be another explanation for these happenings and hearsay.

Honesty, sincerity, and communication are my strongest values; and I think it’s immoral when people take advantage of others.

So, I’m totally willing to let that house go and keep my eyes open for another opportunity.  Sometimes, things are too good to be true.  Sometimes good things really are true, though.

The moral of this story is: “Be willing to walk away from any ‘deal’, regardless of how much you want it.  Do your OWN research (aka due diligence).  Record EVERYTHING.  Don’t give cash; (unless there’s a practical reason for it).  Get copies and receipts IMMEDIATELY.  And basically, make sure you cover your A$$!”

Until tomorrow,

Have a GREAT Day!!

Princess PW

Tip 1: Follow Gen-Y
Generation Y, currently in their young adult years, is the later round of offspring from the baby boomers, and their finger is firmly secured to the “cool” pulse. If your 23-year-old nephew starts talking about a brand new artsy hipster bar in a neighborhood you always thought of as the ghetto, perk up and start paying attention immediately. Ask for their opinion of where the “good” part of that neighborhood is, and where the line lies between that and the “bad” section.

Tip 2: Forecast the Retiring Boomers
On the other end of the spectrum, baby boomers are starting to trickle into retirement, and that trickle will soon be a flood. Where will they want to live? Their parents loved Florida and the Southwest, but migration patterns are showing a steadily declining trend towards these areas for retirees, and a lot of vacant condos and lease agreement properties. You can be sure of a couple things tomorrow’s retirees will be looking for: affordability, walkability, and access to affordable services like housekeeping, groundskeeping, etc. As for the rest of what they want, ask as many older adults as you can find!

Tip 3: Trainspotting
Public transportation is being rebranded as something that middle class people can use, and in many cities the yuppies do use it. Keep an eye on where city planners are evaluating for public transportation stops, and keep a particular eye on subways and trains. Young professionals and artists often forego cars in their attempt to afford a lease agreement in an area with access to arts and entertainment, and to do so they need public transportation.

Tip 4: Watch the Artists
Most artists are poor, and can’t afford to live in pricey areas. Artists also like to live near others of their ilk, and will form little artsy clusters in inexpensive and often rough neighborhoods. They open little hole-in-the-wall galleries to showcase their art, and then with a little luck the area develops a reputation as the latest funky art hangout, which in turn attracts cafés, bars, and, of course, interest in living nearby. Soon the artists are priced out of the area, and are forced to sign a lease agreement in another rough area, and the cycle begins anew.

Tip 5: Tailgate
Is there buzz about a sports stadium coming? Stadiums can lead to a host of support businesses, such as restaurants, retailers, and bars, which complete the appeal of the neighborhood for young professionals. Investors beware, however – stadiums are big news, and every developer and real estate investor in the area will be acutely aware of what’s going on regarding stadium construction, so be careful of your competition, and watch lease agreement pricing to measure tenant interest in real time.

It’s not easy to predict where the next yuppie hotspot will pop up, but there’s plenty of money to be made for those who do it successfully. Keep an eye on lease pricing, watch city development plans, and follow the trends of where different groups of people want to live, and with a little luck you might pick up a bargain property, lease it out, and find yourself with triple equity in a few short years.

1. Always ensure you get the car you need, not want. Because car leasing is a cheaper form of finance (based on monthly payments) that enables people to lease a car that they wouldn’t have been able to purchase, a trap that some people fall in to is to lease a car that isn’t suited to their needs.

Whilst car leasing seems great in some respects, as it could allow you to get a car that you’ve wanted for a long time which has just been out of your financial reach, it’s important to keep things in perspective. Just because something is affordable doesn’t mean that it is practical for your circumstances. You should consider size, fuel efficiency, road tax and insurance before opting for your vehicle. For example, a Range Rover Sport might be only 650 pounds a month, but with a low MPG and high insurance band you need to ensure that you can afford the running costs. Also, don’t forget that there is a monthly car leasing payment and that like other car finance options car leasing ties you into a contract which states you have to pay that figure each month for 24, 36 or 48 months – or even longer.

Furthermore, you also have to take into consideration the additional costs, such as fuel and insurance – you might be able to lease,

2. Be sure to always keep in mind the primary terms and conditions – with any car leasing agreement, there’ll be a whole host of terms and conditions that you have to abide by through the entire length of the leasing agreement. Some of these are particularly obvious but there are various conditions that you have to ensure you always meet. The most prominent of these are your monthly payments – it may sound obvious if you’ve leased a car before or paid for a car via a loan, but it’s extremely important that you never miss a lease payment. Apart from the fact you’re likely to face financial charges, you risk having your car taken off you and damaging your credit record.

However, there are also several other points to consider, such as the amount of miles you drive each year. You need to know upfront how many miles you will drive each year because if you exceed these you will have to pay an excess mileage charge. You can agree this with the finance company at the start of your contract and the proposed monthly payment will be adjusted to reflect this.

3. When shopping for a lease deal you must compare each deal based on comparing like with like. That is, make sure that when comparing a lease deal you are comparing the same term for a lease contract (typically 24, 36 or 48 months), the same mileage and the same upfront payment. Then, look at the monthly price and the total amount paid across the lease contract. This is the only way to compare car leasing deals properly.

One quick tip in relation to your preferred term of your lease agreement, although it can be tempting to choose the shorter term so that you get a new car quicker, this is almost always the most expensive option.

According to Jami, you will need the following items:

• A Map
• Telephone book
• Internet access
• Telephone
• Notebook
• Car

Having these items available will definitely help your search, but let’s take a look at each of these items a little closer. It seems as though a map is a tool that is no longer used in its traditional form where you pick up a copy at your local gas station, open it up on a big table or the hood of your car and start looking for streets. A telephone book is something else that has evolved through the modernization of the internet and isn’t something you really want to lug around with you in your car or underneath your arm as you walk the streets looking for your next home. Internet access and a telephone are absolute necessities in order to properly do your homework on picking the right rental home but we’ll touch on those items again in a moment. To suggest that you may need a notebook and a car is really just stating the obvious. One could make the argument that any form of transportation would suffice as a means to view the properties that you chose.  There are many college towns and big cities where people take public transportation to get everywhere. A perfect example of this is New York City where the common mode of transportation is the Taxi Cab.  There is nothing wrong with the suggestions that are made, however; with today’s technology there are much more efficient methods of picking the perfect rental home. 

The following set of instructions have been provided in part by EHow and Jami Mack with extended suggestions and thoughts provided by the LeaseFrog, Inc. team.

1. A great place to start with just about anything is right from the beginning. What does that mean exactly? Well, we all know that money plays a large part in where you may live, but even before you consider your finances, answer the question: What do I really want? If you could live anywhere in the United States where would it be? Not sure? Then start by thinking about some of the qualities of a home that make you feel good. Maybe privacy is very important to you. Possibly a location that has a big backyard for your dog is what matters most. The point is to first start with how you want the exterior of the house or the neighborhood to present itself.  Do you prefer to live in the flatlands so that you are closer to shops and restaurants, or do you like the feeling that the hills give you and prefer to be in a hill-side community? Too many people are living where they are because of comfort. The comfort of having lived in a city for 20 or 30 years of their life and knowing every street, every good restaurant, shopping, places to go for fun, etc. Maybe you are being relocated to a new area due to work and feel like you don’t have much of a choice in where you live. On one hand you may be right, but on the other you may be wrong. For the most part, every city in this country and throughout the world for that matter is going to have good areas and bad areas. Many of the good areas will have housing that is extremely expensive and housing that is extremely affordable as well. So start thinking outside the box a little bit and write your notes down with basic descriptions of what this place looks like to you. Start with describing the neighborhood you would like to be in, then the exterior of the house or apartment followed by the interior. How many bedrooms and bathrooms do you need? Do you need a designated office room? Is an attached garage something that is important to you? Consider how many square feet you would like in order to feel comfortable. Do you have animals that require a doggy door or a fenced in back yard? What is your budget for your monthly rent? Consider the price of your new rental versus the total cost. For example: maybe you decide to rent a townhouse where the monthly rent and HOA fees total $1,500 per month and a residential house is being offered at $1,400 per month, however; when you factor in the cost of a landscaping company or possibly a house cleaning service the total cost per month may be closer to $1,600 per month. Lastly, an important question to ask your leasing agent (we’ll get to this shortly) are questions regarding the safety of the neighborhood and what they know about your particular neighbors. If you are pregnant and due in a couple of months, being surrounded by student housing may not be the best idea unless you are looking forward to weekend parties and late night commotion. The point of asking all of these questions is so that you start this process with a road map. It may take an hour of your time now to really determine what you want, but this time spent now will save you countless hours or weeks finding that new perfect home. It is important to go into this with at least a basic road map so that you can target the places that will be most appropriate to your needs ultimately saving you time and money in the process. Alright, now we can start the process and see results for the time you’ve already spent.

2. At this point, you need to start looking at property.  This doesn’t necessarily mean getting in your car and driving around looking for “For Rent” signs. With the technology available to us now via the internet, there are much more efficient ways to start the viewing process before you ever even leave your house. There are property management companies, real estate leasing agents, building owners, and a plethora of web sites available that can provide you with a lot of the information you may need to start narrowing down your search. If you perform a Google search of “apartments for rent in Los Angeles, CA” there will be plenty of good web sites to choose from, however; this poses another problem. Now, rather than being able to find what you’re looking for, chances are there will be a bombardment of options that only confuses us more. Have you ever been to a restaurant where there are dozens or even hundreds of options for food? Everything looks good, but rather than being able to place your order right away, you have to explain to your server that you just need a few more minutes. This process sometimes continues 2 or 3 times until finally out of exhaustion and starvation, you pick the closest thing that sounds remotely good in an attempt to satisfy the other guests at your table from boredom. The point is that many of the web site options available on the internet are individual companies or brokers with a very limited selection that may or may not have what you are looking for in your area. This could cause countless hours unnecessarily being spent online. If you want quick custom search results for any property type, in any city in the country, that offers photos, virtual video tours, saved search results, alert features that let you know when the exact property you are looking for has become available on the market, descriptions with floor plans for no cost to you, then we recommend you visit www.leasefrog.net. LeaseFrog is an online leasing marketplace for the leasing of commercial and residential real estate anywhere in the country. By creating your free membership, LeaseFrog will give you access to our interactive map search tools, and provide you with downloadable forms such as a standard lease agreement, which makes your homework not only more efficient, but can be performed from the privacy of your own home or office. LeaseFrog is working on our “Live Chat” window which will offer the expertise of one of our live account executives for help with any aspect of your search results.  When you utilize our free saved search results, you no longer have the need for your notepad, but will have the ability to print all of the properties that caught your interest with photos and specs of the properties themselves. While we are working on some of the final touches of our website www.leasefrog.net we encourage you to keep us in mind by receiving status updates through Twitter. Everyone can follow LeaseFrog, Inc. by going to www.twitter.com/leasefrog or subscribing to LeaseFrog’s Official Blog found right here at www.leasefrog.wordpress.com.

3. We all have questions regarding our credit and whether or not it is sufficient for the property management company or the owners of the rental property, but don’t let this bother you or make you feel uncomfortable. Due to the current state of the economy, there are more and more building owners that are willing to forgive any credit issues as long as you have proof of a sufficient job or are willing to pay 2 months of the security deposit. Make sure you ask how long the rental has been available. This one question can tell you a lot about the state of the owner and how desperate they are to fill that vacant unit. Don’t forget that property management companies and building owners need to increase their occupancy rate within the building they manage or they could potentially be threatened by the loss of their listing contract between them and the building owner. They are hired for one reason, and that is to fill the vacant units. Now, will there always be people who require the perfect tenant? Of course…but the point is to always try.  Ask a lot of questions that provide information about the status of the building. How many vacant units are available in the building? If you are inquiring about a 100 unit apartment complex and you find that their vacancy rate is about 20%, this means that 20 out of the total 100 units are empty! Think about the power this gives you as a potential tenant. You have what they need…cash flow! If they are asking $1,500 per month per unit, do the math: 20 x $1,500 is $30,000 per month that the owner is coming out-of-pocket for or losing. If you owned a 100 unit apartment complex with a 20% vacancy rate, causing an out-of-pocket expense that would force a bankruptcy or foreclosure, would you prefer to collect $1,200 per month versus your old standard of $1,500 or would you rather leave the units vacant not collecting anything? If you were this building owner wouldn’t you rather collect the full rent on the un-leased units from individuals that had questionable credit but that offered an additional security deposit, with proof of a job, and a good letter of explanation regarding their credit? If you were an intelligent business person that owned substantial real estate holdings, then you would much rather have the income and cashflow from the property than not collect it. If you are a commercial building owner, residential home owner, property management company, or real estate agent specializing in leasing then you know that with today’s economy it would be foolish to completely turn down people with the means to pay but with questionable credit. Also, if you generate income from real estate investments, then you owe it to yourself to become a member with us at www.leasefrog.net and enjoy the many features and benefits that will help you and your company properly market and expose your vacant space at a price point that is more aggressive than all the competition. Also, enjoy the LeaseFrog management tools as well providing you with one location that handles your entire pipeline. Sometimes, the home owner will have a credit check form or application form that they will require you to fill out along with a fee (typically ranging from $20 to $100). If you have questionable credit, consider briefly discussing this with them and asking what their policies are with less than perfect credit. The last thing you want is to find a place you really like, submit an application and fee only to find out that they don’t accept applicants with credit scores below a 700 FICO score. This will be a waste of time and money. New features being added to www.leasefrog.net include comments on behalf of building owners indicating their comfort level in regards to credit, allowing the person looking for a home the ability to quickly glance at a property profile and know within seconds whether or not that particular property should be saved to their custom search results. Also, our web site will provide the option of producing your credit report upfront so that you know exactly where you stand, giving you some leverage in finding the right rental home.

4. Once your list is compiled and you have at least 5 to 10 properties to view, consider printing out the map results and determine a route that will allow you to go from property to property without having to back track to locations that you’ve already past. This will not always be possible due to the availability of the listing agent, but if you contact the agents who will be showing you the properties, it will be much easier to plan out your day of viewings. As a member of www.leasefrog.net you will be able to keep all notes of conversations that you have had with these agents in case you need to recall a specific point that the agent brought up. When you make these phone calls, now is the time to ask some of the questions that were suggested from step number 1.

5. When you have appointments to look at this many properties, it is very easy to lose track of which ones you really like and why. So, make sure you bring your list of properties and make specific notes on each one. Try writing down descriptive thoughts of the agent you dealt with and as many notes as possible regarding the particulars of the property itself. To make things easier, consider making categories that identify specific attributes of the entire process. These may include:

• The first positive and/or negative quality noticed upon arrival at the property drive way or sidewalk.
• Was the property landscaping kept up or has it been neglected, and how does that make you feel? In California this may seem more important, whereas states like Colorado where it snows and landscaping dies during the winter it may not be quite as important.
• Was there a garage?
• Interior of the house: By the time you actually view the property in person you should already have seen pictures and/or video painting a fairly accurate picture of what you will see in person, however; sometimes photos are outdated and a previous tenant may not have taken care of the property prior to their departure. If this happens during your visit but there are still other qualities that you really like then be sure to ask the agent if the carpet or flooring will be replaced prior to move in. Consider asking also about the interior paint and if the house will be repainted or if the management company is okay with you painting the walls yourself. Depending on how luxurious the property is and what price point the house is being offered, some home owners may ask that you keep the paint the way it is. Or, they may allow custom paint within the house but point out in the lease that those walls need to be painted back to the original color prior to vacating the premises at the end of the lease. Also, money talks. If you sign a long-term lease of 3 or more years, the situation really can work to your benefit. In fact, if you are willing to sign a long-term lease, provide additional security deposit, and do have impeccable credit then you can start to really negotiate with terms that are favorable to you in a big way.
• Measurements: This is one area where most people drop the ball. If the property even remotely fits what you are looking for then make sure you take measurements of key locations. This may include bedrooms to ensure your bed fits the room, living room measurements to ensure proper fitting of your couch, TV, etc.  Another big one that people miss are the appliances. For the refrigerator make sure you measure height, width, and depth. Many people will measure the height and width and then forget to take accurate measurements for the depth. Then their brand new fridge arrives with the installation crew only to find out that the fridge sticks out halfway into the kitchen. This can be very frustrating when you realize that you will have to go without a fridge until the next one arrives. Get the measurements right or plan on wasting more time and money.
• Colors, features, and accessories are additional particulars that you should take notes on.
• Finally, create a ratings system for each property with a 1 indicating no possible way and a 5 indicating that you will sign the lease immediately if they accept your application.

6. Make a decision! Don’t fall into the trap of indecisiveness. Once you have picked your top 3, secure applications from each landlord and start with 1 of the 3.  There is no need to spend application fees on 3 different locations all at once. Have all three filled out and ready to go. Call each broker and let them know that out of the 10 properties you viewed, there were only 3 that you really liked and one of them was his/hers (the agent’s property). This is also the point where you need to use your instinct about getting approved. Usually your gut feeling is accurate. If there is a property that you like but the agent gave you the feeling it was going to be very difficult to get into, consider putting that one on the back burner.

7. Protect yourself and your family! Rather than continuing with our already long blog post, please subscribe to the LeaseFrog, Inc. Official blog to be notified of the release of our next blog post: “Protect You and Your Family From Rental Scams!” which should be published within the next 5 business days.

We always appreciate comments and look forward to revealing insider secrets only available through our blog posts at www.leasefrog.wordpress.com, www.twitter.com/leasefrog, and our official website www.leasefrog.net. For a more detailed outline of the LeaseFrog services, please read our 1st blog post under “uncategorized”.  As we grow, we would like to receive suggestions of what topics our members and viewers are most interested in. LeaseFrog will produce blog content and research that is asked about most from our audience. Stay tuned!

First off, they don’t respect our stuff.  My father-in-law hucked our couch over the second floor railing because it was ‘too complicated’ to go down the stairs.  Then, he didn’t tie down our dressers so a drawer fell out, spewing my jewelry all over the parking lot.  It was great.

I knew what to expect but still…  As I watched this unfold, I vowed to myself to make a ton of money with my books so I could PAY someone to do this stuff for me and not have to rely on the whims of my relatives.

Nothing about moving is fun, especially with 3 little kids who really can’t help.

Now, we are seeking a home and I want one right away because we are currently staying with the in-laws but I also don’t want to rush into anything.  We really need a month to save money because moving as most people know is not cheap.  I thought I found a house but as the people forwarded me their lease agreement, I quickly realized they want to put the burden of home-ownership on the renters.  They expect us to pay for the upkeep of the home like frozen pipes, which as a former home owner, is not my job.

Further, they mentioned they might charge me an extra $50/month for my third child.  If this is the case (I emailed for clarification), then this home is no longer an option.  I refuse to pay extra for a kid just like I refuse to pay $50/month extra for my dogs.  Get over yourselves, people.  I hate to tell you this but what you have is not that great and I can go elsewhere with someone much more reasonable.

I’m tired of people thinking they can charge for crap or just because of its location.  Maybe others will pay but I won’t.

Unfortunately, I apparently need 60 days notice for my current apartment. (I received 3 voicemails from my landlord this afternoon, reminding me of my lease agreement…grr!)

So, I have some negotiating to do this week, as I try to figure my living situation out.

One of the biggest stumbling blocks can be when tenants take it upon themselves to “adopt” their friends or family members (not literally!)  They say, “Sure!  You can live with me for a while!” and suddenly they’re in violation of the lease agreement.  But unless you’re checking your property regularly, you may never know.

Don’t make assumptions about what’s happening in the apartment or house you legally own.  Check around and ask questions if you’re concerned.  The last thing you want to do is discover that violations have been happening left and right… because you’ll have no one to blame except the landlord — you.

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