How does Realtor.com work for rentals? (Hollywood, Plantation: real estate, apartments)

[lindsayANDadam]

I am looking for a rental in West Broward, preferably a condo to rent. I have been looking on Realtor.com, and they have a lot of condos for rent that interest me. Does anyone know if you need to have a Realtor or pay someone in order to rent condos through this means? I am new to the whole thing so any info on how it works to rent condos or anything that is not from a managed apartment would be helpful.

THANKS

[Wild Style]

Be careful with renting from private owners. I have read about people getting kicked out because the owner goes into foreclosure.

[happymccamper]

Originally Posted by Wild Style

Be careful with renting from private owners. I have read about people getting kicked out because the owner goes into foreclosure.

This is true, but what can you really do? I don't know if there is some sort of research you can do on the owner. Many owners are possibly renting to avoid foreclosure so keep that in mind too. Anyhoo...I research on realtor.com all the time, but yes it is a website realtors use to list their rentals. So I guess you contact the person that is listing or recruit your own realtor to take you to those properties you are interested in. My husband and I are dealing w/the same thing. A good rental realtor seems to be hard to find, because rentals do not produce a huge commission, I get the feeling, and I said feeling, that most realtors do not want to spend as much time w/them and some do not deal w/them at all. But you need what you need right? So just be on top of things....what I have learned is never put yourself completely in someone else hands...you never know what they are going to do w/you. Do you own research and then pretty much use the realtor to do the paperwork....that s what we would like to do in the future. Again, read you lease carefully and know what your getting in to...good luck.

[Wild Style]

^^

I would think that some money is better than no money given the downturn in real estate. If I were a realtor I would hustle my butt off on showing rentals.

[rhiannonfl1]

As far as using a realtor for rentals, the commission is paid by the landlord. Just be careful..too many realtors are starving these days and they are working more than one job, which means they may not have the time to do you justice. I have found that the "starving" ones will try to push you into a rental that does not meet your criteria. Check out craiglist for rentals...after a while you will be able to tell who the full time realtors are. A realtor is helpful because they can negotiate the rent for you..sometimes $100 to $200 a month off the asking price.

[fauve]

An easy way to tell if the owner is distressed is to do a search for the address on the Broward County Property Appraiser's Network

Once the property is displayed, click the link to display the 2007 property taxes. Comfortable owners have these paid in full early in November for the 3% discount. Any taxes paid after 3/31 are late. Distressed owners do NOT pay property taxes at all and yu will see a healthy balance accruing that they will no doubt use your security deposit to pay them with, if they bother to at all.

Btw, this building looks perfect for you guys - I seem to remember a healthy budget - evenso, 2 bedrooms would be less:

Rentals - 510 NW 84 AVENUE Unit: 634, Plantation, FL, 33324 - Realtor.com

[eeyore13]

I can personally recommend nobody use Century 21 out of Weston for rentals

[runswithscissors]

LOL I had a private owner in Hollywood on Craigslist take my deposit on a beach duplex that had two tenants already in it he was HOPING to evict. (illegal) He left the "hoping to evict" part out of our conversations and had the nerve to actually walk me through those apartments with the people still living there.

He cashed the check for $2400.00 (!!) and did not deposit into any interest bearing account (essentially illegal).

THEN I found out that the OTHER prospective tenant for the other half of the duplex (also scammed) had four LOUD PARROTS after the owner told me they were 4 small parakeets. I asked him specifically before giving the deposit because I did not want to share a duplex with any bird owners except tiny birds like mine and certainly not parrots.

By luck I ran into her on the street in front of the place with the Amazon on her shoulder. She was laughing about how funny it was they were so loud and she was getting evicted because of the noise from her current place.

I had a detective check the guy out and he was actually the real property owner, too. Now i get to go to court. This particular owner has been in court 140 times according to the county records for Landlord tenant issues. He has 4 unsatisfied judgements against him so I'll never see my $2400 again.

Buyer beware with owners AND realtors. I had a few tell me that a property would take me with my 2 small 30 gram birds and upon investigation found out it was bull. several others said sneak them in, nobody'd ever know.

There's alot of desperation down here. I moved to Indian River County there was a bit less of it. I I signed a lease to move into a gated community that the neighborhood realtor lives in. If a foreclosure notice comes I'll move into her house LOL.

[runswithscissors]

I can recommend this realtor couple as being legit, professional and nice. I didn't have them search for me because I was looking at a house they actually owned but I met him in person and his wife and I spoke several times on the phone.

[btw if anyone is looking for a Mainlands house to buy they have a beautiful house they have/had on the market that was supposed to be for his mother and completely gutted and remodeled with top of the line everything. ]

I don't know if they have anything where you're looking or the inventory and haven't spoken to them since winter but you can give a call.

Lisa and Doug:

The Shuster Team Homepage

eta: I don't know if this type of referral is permitted here , apologize in advance if not

[runswithscissors]

Here's the house, btw. It was also for rent. You can call to see if there's a tenant. It was listed for rent at 1100. during the winter.

Originally 180,000. In the center of the block, though and one of the small lots but still a nice place.

I'm not easily impressed but he really did a wonderful job since it was for his mom. (she didn't move down here after all).

Everyone laughs at the Mainlands and old people but the HOA is REALLY cheap, neighborhood is safe and clean, they paint your house every 5 years and you can walk to shopping. So for some people it's good. Some of the neighborhoods are 55+ and some arent. I forget about this section.

5716 nw 82nd ave 33321 you may need to sign up on their site to see it

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