Moving to Roanoke area: Rent/Leasing advice and input, please! (Blacksburg: month to, new home)

[bigzap]

So here’s my situation, my wife and I would so very much appreciate any kind of input that you may provide.
First off, some data for you to understand our plans.
We’ve made a few reconnaissance missions down to your lovely part of the world, as we’ve both retired for a little over a year, and spent most of that time preparing our home to sell, it went on the market a little over a week ago. We are eager to find, and purchase, a relaxing retirement home, somewhere in the Roanoke, Blacksburg, Daleville area, or?? We aren’t too specific, as we intend to rent for a while (6 months/1 year?), so that we can get the feel of the entire area, learn the neighborhoods, and be ready to jump on a good listing, if it presents itself. For what it’s worth, we are looking to purchase a new home in the upper 200’s, to the 320’s perhaps. Current home listed at $370,000 here in Morris County, New Jersey.
So in summation, we want to rent a home for the two of us, a 3br., in a safe neighborhood, with a month to month lease, (almost impossible, it seems, if not that, a 6 month lease, if not that, a 1 yr. lease), we have a 50 lb. dog, and have no real consideration for commute times, etc. We are rather flexible in many ways. We are considering to pay up to $1300 or so per month.
My rambling on ends soon, as I ask for input on the following: If we wind up signing a lease for longer than we would like, there is a good likelihood that we will wind up breaking the lease agreement early, as we at some point will bid for homes, and wind up owning, once again. I’m willing to pay a charge for this, and I’m wondering, in general, do you have a guess as to what the standard penalty is, or what kind of ramifications may present itself that I’m not aware of. I assume we'd be out of at least a month's rent, and some security etc. What do you consider a standard Virginia penalty? We haven’t paid rent for 35 years or so, just home payments, so not too clear on this.

Thank you so much for any input.

[headnsouth]

I have no idea what a standard penalty would be but it's a crappy thing to do. Not to mention a 50-lb. dog means you're looking for a flexible landlord - break a lease and leave him hanging and he'll be less flexible for the next tenant.

[bigzap]

Having read your response, it made me proofread again, and notice that I had omitted that I fully intend to be totally upfront with the landlord about our intentions. I'm mostly concerned about the financial customs, VA laws, etc., so that I could somewhat budget what is upcoming in our future move. I fully understand your statement, and agree it is improper to take advantage of a landlord. Thank you though, for your response, it is much appreciated.