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I've said this repeatedly. I would never request a fence. I will just pass on the house. For the garage door opener, I would arrange for professional installation and would leave it after the lease is over. Why should I pay more than what's on the lease?
They don't sell new homes without an opener, why would you rent one?
They sure do! The builders around here, even up to the 800K price range do NOT include GDO's. They are an available option, for you to purchase if you wish. It was an optional item on the last 3 houses I've built, in 2 different states.
That said, I personally would never rent or build a house without a GDO, but like most everything else real estate, it is dependent on what's standard for that area. Obviously it's not standard for the OP's area to have a GDO.
OP, I don't think it would hurt to ask, but I think it's a long shot. If the owner felt it was necessary for the area from a competitive standpoint, they would already have it. I'd still ask though.
As for a fence, well, that is VERY dependent on your area. It took me 16 YEARS to find a new home in Colorado where I was ALLOWED to have a fence. They are mostly either prohibited here or you're limited to a 4 foot split rail, which to me, is not even a fence. Same thing was happening in Mpls before we moved there. The trend is for many HOA's to not allow fencing. It's all very specific to your market. My parents live in a market where the standard is to have a 10 foot high wall.
OP doesn't want to pay for it. OP wants the landlord to pay for it, but after the landlord pays for it and doesn't get any additional rent, OP has kindly offered to leave the opener there when OP moves out.
OP might be able to find a landlord who will allow OP to install an opener at OP's own expense. I think the odds of a landlord being all that pleased to pay for one, even if OP intends to leave it at move-out , are pretty slim. If the landlord wanted to pay for a garage door opener, there would already be one on the garage door.
First OP said they wanted the landlord to pay for it.
Then OP said they would be willing to split it with the landlord.
Then OP said they would pay $50 more in rent for a house with a garage door opener than one without it (although for some reason only if the opener was already installed).
...I think if push came to shove (and OP didn't find a rental that already had one installed) OP would pay for the opener themselves.
What's the deal with houses having garages but no garage door openers? I'm on the hunt for a rental and I can't believe how often I see this.Doesn't that cancel out the purpose of having a garage in the first place?
LOL I think this sentence gets the First World Problem Award this week!
I'm 56 and I've never had an electric garage door opener. That includes growing up at my parents' house where the detached garage didn't have electricity and had folding doors that opened to the side.
First OP said they wanted the landlord to pay for it.
Then OP said they would be willing to split it with the landlord.
Then OP said they would pay $50 more in rent for a house with a garage door opener than one without it (although for some reason only if the opener was already installed).
...I think if push came to shove (and OP didn't find a rental that already had one installed) OP would pay for the opener themselves.
Wait!?! From an owner's perspective, wouldn't it be seen as a physical improvement that will add value to the home for future tenants? I would use professional installers so the job is done correctly.
You aren't going to get it done for $300. Do you think you are the first tenant to want a garage door opener? I would suspect that almost every single tenant that came through that house has inquired, and has probably been told no.
And once it's installed -- hmm, an improvement, maybe a higher rent.
Between a fence and a garage door opener, I would suspect that many landlords are going to label you "high maintenance" and move on to the next tenant. Don't try to remake a rental home -- if they wanted it updated, they would have updated it.
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