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Since I will only be renting it, and my hubby and I don't need a 3 bedroom as long as the roof isn't falling down around me and it doesn't have cockroaches and isn't in a slummy (is that a word?) area, I would look at it as temporary housing. If I planned on living in it for an extended period of time I would probably look into a little higher bracket. But I'm all about saving and I'm kind of stingy what I spend my money on. So hopefully I'll find something I can live with temporarily for $600-750 to rent...with a garage of course!
Its doable, though as others have mentioned more on the outskirts of Knoxville your chances are better. Check Craigslist frequently. You can also check out Oak Ridge and Clinton areas - they're NW of Knoxville.
You can also go to Realtor.com and choose Rentals instead of new homes. I found my 2br 2 bath cabin on Craigs list.
You have to sort through some BS with Craiglist. But any site that is free to post to is about the same. Also check the classifieds from the Sevierville Pigeon Forge paper because they include places in Kodak around your price range.
Don't be afraid to call Realty companies too and see if they have any properties for rent that meet your needs. Recommends local companies moreso then your Century 21 type places but it all depends on how willing they seem to help when you first call.
I can help you further if you need, just PM me the area you plan on working if you have that sorted out and I will see what I can stir up if you have trouble finding anything. This is my second Relo, so I have honed the skills of rental finding.
Kitties maybe for $700 I could even get a garage huh? LOL!
Mattbward I have a couple places like realtor.com and rentals.com or something like that bookmarked and even sent an email to pittman groups to ask if they have less than a 2 year rental lease. I don't want to be renting for a couple years! That wouldn't be cool if I found the perfect place and was stuck in a lease. Doesn't anyone rent from month to month anymore? Or at least a 3 or 6 month agreement would help. I will keep your suggestions in mind as we can start getting closer to the right time. One of these days I'll be able to come on here and say "I'm on my way!" too!
Kitties maybe for $700 I could even get a garage huh? LOL!
Mattbward I have a couple places like realtor.com and rentals.com or something like that bookmarked and even sent an email to pittman groups to ask if they have less than a 2 year rental lease. I don't want to be renting for a couple years! That wouldn't be cool if I found the perfect place and was stuck in a lease. Doesn't anyone rent from month to month anymore? Or at least a 3 or 6 month agreement would help. I will keep your suggestions in mind as we can start getting closer to the right time. One of these days I'll be able to come on here and say "I'm on my way!" too!
Honestly, when you are looking for a short-term rental, your best bet is going to be an apartment complex, and you will pay for that service.
I've often thought that it wouldn't be a bad idea to rent out a couple of homes on a short-term basis for potential clients. I don't know if it is profitable, though. There is some money involved in turning around a property every three months. Maybe if there were a larger payoff for me, at the end, but there is no guarantee. And for most folks, the profit is just not there.
Honestly, when you are looking for a short-term rental, your best bet is going to be an apartment complex, and you will pay for that service.
I've often thought that it wouldn't be a bad idea to rent out a couple of homes on a short-term basis for potential clients. I don't know if it is profitable, though. There is some money involved in turning around a property every three months. Maybe if there were a larger payoff for me, at the end, but there is no guarantee. And for most folks, the profit is just not there.
I've never rented anything out, so I don't know what I'm talking about. But what would be the difference if the same family rented a property for 1-2 years or if different people rented it? It would still be the same money coming in. Renting an apartment for us would be okay if we didn't have a car, a pickup and 2 motorcycles. I also have 2 little weenie dogs that would love a yard. They have a huge yard now with a doggie door and probably wouldn't know how to act if I had to take them out on a leash every time they had to potty! LOL! I know there would be some adapting for us while renting but would like to make it as easy a transition as possible all the way around. I haven't lived in an apartment since I was 19, and that's been a "few" years ago.
You would still have to clean it, possibly repair and paint it. You may use the security deposit for some or all of that, but it still takes time and that is time that you could be renting.
Then you have to advertise the property all over again. There could be some down time where the house doesn't rent right away. Could be a long time, for all you know. In the meantime, you are paying the mortgage, the taxes, the utilities on the place (if it is cold, you should have the heat going. You are probably not going to shut the whole thing down because you could have a tenant in less than a month.)
I don't know. I'm not arguing with you. I just know that it is a heck of a lot easier and cheaper to have a steady tenant for a year. Being a landlord is not that profitable to begin with, nowadays. To have a high turnover could potentially lead to bankruptcy. Good luck getting a bank to agree to it, too.
That's why the large apartment complexes do it, and even then there are not that many of them that are in it. Usually, they are furnished and they do business with large corporations that pay for employee relocations. The rent is not cheap.
You would still have to clean it, possibly repair and paint it. You may use the security deposit for some or all of that, but it still takes time and that is time that you could be renting.
Then you have to advertise the property all over again. There could be some down time where the house doesn't rent right away. Could be a long time, for all you know. In the meantime, you are paying the mortgage, the taxes, the utilities on the place (if it is cold, you should have the heat going. You are probably not going to shut the whole thing down because you could have a tenant in less than a month.)
I don't know. I'm not arguing with you. I just know that it is a heck of a lot easier and cheaper to have a steady tenant for a year. Being a landlord is not that profitable to begin with, nowadays. To have a high turnover could potentially lead to bankruptcy. Good luck getting a bank to agree to it, too.
That's why the large apartment complexes do it, and even then there are not that many of them that are in it. Usually, they are furnished and they do business with large corporations that pay for employee relocations. The rent is not cheap.
Well I guess I never thought of all that stuff. What a pain in the butt to have to paint every time someone moves out. I wouldn't be painting unless it needed it if I was a landlord. I would imagine renting a place is a lot more problematic than it used to be. People used to care about each other and others' property, now most don't. So I think there is a lot of property probably not being taken care of which would require a lot more attention after they move out. I am not that kind of person. I take care of people's property as if it's my own because I wouldn't want someone doing that to me if it was the other way around.
Well I guess I never thought of all that stuff. What a pain in the butt to have to paint every time someone moves out. I wouldn't be painting unless it needed it if I was a landlord. I would imagine renting a place is a lot more problematic than it used to be. People used to care about each other and others' property, now most don't. So I think there is a lot of property probably not being taken care of which would require a lot more attention after they move out. I am not that kind of person. I take care of people's property as if it's my own because I wouldn't want someone doing that to me if it was the other way around.
I have been a landlord, I have been a property manager...gave it up! Here is why. Not saying you, but I have heard the same statement you made above, or some variation of it..such as " I will take care of it as if it were my own, we are VERY neat, I am so particular about the way I live, my pets are house trained and don't scratch anything. I promise I will keep it very clean"....and so forth. Maybe 1 out of 10 even came close to what they claimed to be. You have no idea how destructive a lot of renters can be. I have never had a security deposit actually cover what needs to be done to make a place re-rent-able. A lot of times, it is just what happens when moving furniture in and out. Or one accidental grape juice spill on a carpet. Every time someone moves out, at the very minimum, one needs to steam clean all carpets and have the entire house, including all cabinets, stove, fridge, etc, cleaned. That in itself is about $400.
Now, if you get up into the higher rent bracket, say $1,200 and up a month, that is a different renter all together. These are the property owners who may tend to be more flexible in lease terms. I have known many that say they want a 1 year leased signed, but if you move out before that, you will forfeit your deposit and if the property is left in re-rentable condition, they will let you break the lease.
Now you could try to offer a landlord a lease attachment for something similar in that rent rate range, but you will have to look at and talk to many different landlords before you find one that may do so.
I have been a landlord, I have been a property manager...gave it up! Here is why. Not saying you, but I have heard the same statement you made above, or some variation of it..such as " I will take care of it as if it were my own, we are VERY neat, I am so particular about the way I live, my pets are house trained and don't scratch anything. I promise I will keep it very clean"....and so forth. Maybe 1 out of 10 even came close to what they claimed to be. You have no idea how destructive a lot of renters can be. I have never had a security deposit actually cover what needs to be done to make a place re-rent-able. A lot of times, it is just what happens when moving furniture in and out. Or one accidental grape juice spill on a carpet. Every time someone moves out, at the very minimum, one needs to steam clean all carpets and have the entire house, including all cabinets, stove, fridge, etc, cleaned. That in itself is about $400.
Now, if you get up into the higher rent bracket, say $1,200 and up a month, that is a different renter all together. These are the property owners who may tend to be more flexible in lease terms. I have known many that say they want a 1 year leased signed, but if you move out before that, you will forfeit your deposit and if the property is left in re-rentable condition, they will let you break the lease.
Now you could try to offer a landlord a lease attachment for something similar in that rent rate range, but you will have to look at and talk to many different landlords before you find one that may do so.
Oh I can only imagine what is left after some renters. That is exactly what I referred to with people not caring anymore. And I can't imagine people not at least cleaning out the cabinets and fridge etc. when they leave! I know when I rented when I was ages 19-22 when I was in the A.F., it always made me feel good when I was moving out and the landlord came to inspect and never found anything wrong and I always got my full deposit back! But if I had a place to rent, I wouldn't have carpet in it to begin with. Only laminate or something virtually indestructible and very cleanable. And knowing my husband and his handiness, if a wall or something was to get a ding or a gouge, he'd probably fix it himself just so we wouldn't have the embarrassment of having to tell the landlord. As the saying goes s**t happens, but to just be a destructive renter is uncalled for. But when we find a place to rent, the landlord is going to be pleasantly surprised when we move out.
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What a pain in the butt to have to paint every time someone moves out. I wouldn't be painting unless it needed it if I was a landlord.
I would imagine renting a place is a lot more problematic than it used to be. People used to care about each other and others' property, now most don't. So I think there is a lot of property probably not being taken care of which would require a lot more attention after they move out. I am not that kind of person. I take care of people's property as if it's my own because I wouldn't want someone doing that to me if it was the other way around.
I have never had a security deposit actually cover what needs to be done to make a place re-rent-able. A lot of times, it is just what happens when moving furniture in and out. Or one accidental grape juice spill on a carpet. Every time someone moves out, at the very minimum, one needs to steam clean all carpets and have the entire house, including all cabinets, stove, fridge, etc, cleaned. That in itself is about $400.
That is exactly what I referred to with people not caring anymore. And I can't imagine people not at least cleaning out the cabinets and fridge etc. when they leave! I know when I rented when I was ages 19-22 when I was in the A.F., it always made me feel good when I was moving out and the landlord came to inspect and never found anything wrong and I always got my full deposit back! 
