Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I had this problem when I first moved here as well, but since I'm looking to move, it's come up again. Renting is Boise seems to be a different process than all of the other U.S. cities I've lived in (seriously, what is with the application fees for every single apartment?), and I feel like there might be something I'm missing, because many landlords out here seem to not want to rent their apartments to anyone. In most cities, if you call a landlord and get their voicemail, you'll hear back within 12 hours. Email, within 24 hours unless it's a weekend. I have left so many voicemails and emails that just don't get returned or get returned a week later or what have you. Is there a trick to getting somebody interested in getting your money in exchange for their empty apartments?
(Also, special shout-out to the good landlords and property managers in Boise. You may only make up 20% or so of the total, but I'm glad you're out there.)
Location: Formerly Pleasanton Ca, now in Marietta Ga
10,351 posts, read 8,572,211 times
Reputation: 16698
When I have a place to rent, I listen to the voice mail they leave. If they are articulate, don't speak like a thug, and maybe leave me a bit of info like their credit score, income, how many people, and if they have references. I will be more likely to call them back.
Not knowing your circumstances and the rental market there, I can't really tell you though.
Most landlords require an application fee. Also when a landlord places an ad for rent, he will likely get 30-50 inquires. The landlords will weed them out and maybe take 5 to 10 applications to consider.
This is a major issue in Boise and the valley. I feel for potential renters since they have to keep reinventing the wheel on applications. Good thing employers don't charge application fees for job openings! I think there is an opportunity to develop a business for the right entrepreneur to charge a fee for tenant placement assistance.
In other areas of the country, landlords compensate leasing agents. Without that, every tenant and property owner/landlord is out one their own. Idaho also does not license property management companies so the tenant must beware of who they work with. I am not a fan of government regulation; however, when you are entrusting someone else with your money (i.e. a deposit), I think some oversight is acceptable.
As far as recommendations:
1) Be alert - watch for new openings and potential openings where you want to live;
2) Write a brief but compelling cover letter of why you are the best available choice as a tenant. (I don't drink alcohol, I don't smoke, don't have or intend to have a cat or a dog, I love yard work, my credit is great and I have great previous references from previous landlords available.)
3) Offer to raise the cleaning and damage deposit to prove your intent of taking care of the property;
4) Submit a photo of your current living room, kitchen, bedroom and yard to show you take care of things.
I know if I received these for my rentals, it would be very easy to pick the tenant I wanted verses just trying to extrapolate that data off a standardized application form.
My office doesn't charge an application fee, we do charge a $35 processing fee with the person we sit down to sign a lease with. But we also don't show houses until we know a person is all approved. So we only interrupt a tenant a couple of time at most in almost all cases, because the first person we show it to who wants it, gets it.
But yes, we get 50+ inquiries, and receive a dozen or more applications on most rentals. So sometimes we don't get back to everyone as fast as we would like. Especially since we also do real estate and build houses. Just not enough hours in the day sometimes.
Plus, we get inquiries quite often that have no valid way to respond. No phone number, and the email bounces back. So sometimes we have no method TO respond.
And we get quite a few scammer inquiries, so if your inquiry looks like a scammer, it will get deleted out of hand.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
