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Number 1 rule in real estate is if it doesn't feel right, walk away, so you're doing the right thing. Obviously they have enough demand that they don't feel it is a policy they need to change, but people are obviously leaving too. Perhaps try searching for reviews of the building online to see if it confirms your suspicions.
It is a must to not only see the apt first, but to walk through it and get a "feel" of how it suits your needs as well as the vibe of the place. Anytime I have ever moved i knew in a few minutes whether I would be happy and comfortable. Your home should be your sanctuary..Pictures will not do.
I ended up calling again to confirm a little bit more info about the apartment. I ask her again if there was anyway I could view the apartment beforehand; even suggested setting up an appointment that the current tenant was okay with to view the apartment. She wouldn't budge.
I have a feeling I'm going to have to let this one go, I have to go with my gut feeling.
It sounds like the complex management have something to hide. It's normal for them to give the current tenant 24+ hrs notice and let prospective renters see the unit, whether it needs work or not.
Definitely go with your gut feeling and pass on this place. It sounds like a scam, especially with a 3 day refund policy.
It sounds like the complex management have something to hide. It's normal for them to give the current tenant 24+ hrs notice and let prospective renters see the unit, whether it needs work or not.
Sometimes. We actually changed our policy recently because we had a rash of tenants who wouldn't clean up for a showing (even to the extent of putting dirty dishes in the sink or picking up laundry off the floor.) combined with a lot of people who couldn't look past that. We lost a lot of good potential tenants for that. That, combined with the fact that the rental market is crazy busy right now, means that we aren't even advertising them until they are vacant.
Number 1 rule in real estate is if it doesn't feel right, walk away, so you're doing the right thing. Obviously they have enough demand that they don't feel it is a policy they need to change, but people are obviously leaving too. Perhaps try searching for reviews of the building online to see if it confirms your suspicions.
I did, which sometimes you have to take the reviews with a grain of salt. Though there was one entry that intrigued me. One poster wrote they did not get their security deposit back after they were not approved. In their situation, they had to put down a deposit before the application was even processed for approval. So again, another red flag. It's just frustrating as most of the good apartments (not in ghetto land) are out of my budget range, and the ones that I do find, I run in to situations like these.
It is a must to not only see the apt first, but to walk through it and get a "feel" of how it suits your needs as well as the vibe of the place. Anytime I have ever moved i knew in a few minutes whether I would be happy and comfortable. Your home should be your sanctuary..Pictures will not do.
That is one thing I have learned since I started this process. Pictures only tell half of the story! One condo complex I was looking at (realtor company was renting it out), the pictures were nice, but when I finally did a walk through, dead roaches were in the corners and the kitchen appliances were in HORRIBLE condition. Then the realtor agent had the audacity to say her ONLY concern with the place was a crack in the window blinds that would be fixed immediately once I moved in.
I thought to myself, that's her only concern an not the gigantic roach carcass that is laying next to my feet . I couldn't high tail it out of that place fast enough.
Sometimes. We actually changed our policy recently because we had a rash of tenants who wouldn't clean up for a showing (even to the extent of putting dirty dishes in the sink or picking up laundry off the floor.) combined with a lot of people who couldn't look past that. We lost a lot of good potential tenants for that. That, combined with the fact that the rental market is crazy busy right now, means that we aren't even advertising them until they are vacant.
I definitely can see the issue there. But I know for me personally I can look past the current tenant's belongings. It would have even been better if they had a model to show or something to where I can get a feel of the apartment.
I have just made that mistake. Paid the security deposit on sight unseen. Right after I had a self walk through of the place and I wasn't impressed anymore. Not like the model at all. Decided to cancel the lease signing that was going to happen in 2 days a sake for a partial refund of my security deposit 1 and a half months rent an 300 $ pet application administration fee or something and guess what. It's non refundable. What a load I crap
I have just made that mistake. Paid the security deposit on sight unseen. Right after I had a self walk through of the place and I wasn't impressed anymore. Not like the model at all. Decided to cancel the lease signing that was going to happen in 2 days a sake for a partial refund of my security deposit 1 and a half months rent an 300 $ pet application administration fee or something and guess what. It's non refundable. What a load I crap
Damm that sucks. I need to be aware of that since I am currently looking for a new place.
One time I put a deposit down on a place after viewing a model apartment. The whole experience was a disaster. I'll quote from my review of the place rather than re-type it all:
Quote:
Two weeks before I signed a lease, I went on a tour of a third floor garden apartment. Everything looked fine - brand new kitchen, new carpet, new fixtures in the bathroom, two new, professionally installed air conditioners. I found out a 1st floor was free, which was what I was looking for because of my dog. Unfortunately, I didn't look as closely at the 1st floor apartment, which is what I signed a lease for. Upon getting my keys, I went to my new apartment and tried to open the door. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that there was no mechanism in the doorknob: that's right - the doorknob was there but nothing was latching into the doorframe! I went inside where I found one bedroom had been crashed in by someone (who knows who - with no lock mechanism it could have been anyone): there were sticks on the floor, ground in dirt, cigarette burns - all on a "new" carpet. Several of the doors were so painted over that they jammed and wouldn't shut properly, there was only one air conditioner in the 1st floor apartment, the garbage disposal didn't work, and the security buzzer phone fell down from the wall when I tested it.
I went back to the office, and ended up giving management the keys back, informing them of everything that I thought must be fixed before I was willing to move in. They were extremely apologetic, so I gave them five days to fix these things which couldn't have taken more than an hour or two to repair, and even called a day ahead of time to warn them I was coming the next day to inspect the place. When I showed up the next day, nothing had been done, and they were scrambling to fix the doorknob as I went over to look at the place - informing me that everything would be taken care of the following day. After thinking for another night, I decided to cancel the lease and get all my money back.
In the end, I think I was fortunate in that the manager must have decided that I would have been more trouble than I was worth if they'd insisted on keeping my deposits. Otherwise, I'm not sure I'd have gotten them back. Moral of the story: don't do it!
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. I couldn't high tail it out of that place fast enough.
