Questions about rentals in Salem (Portland: sales, foreclosure, student loans) - Oregon (OR) - City-Data Forum

Boxfox · 08-17-2016, 09:46 AM

Hello! I am currently trying to relocate to Salem, Oregon. I have noticed, different from my current region, that Salem rentals are largely month-to-month and not annual leases? Also, a lot of the "pet friendly" rentals specifically state "NO CATS".

Can anyone explain these two requirements, please? Where I currently live annual leases are the norm and landlords are much more tolerant of cats versus dogs which leave behind a distinct smell, chew up things, and do not have retractable claws (hardwood scratches).

I'm concerned we won't be able to find a home in Salem because I prefer annual leases (stability, I have a son) and we have two cats.

Silverfall · 08-17-2016, 07:10 PM

Two cats will be hard to find a rental here due to issues with cat pee and scratching at carpet. There are a lot of dog owners in Oregon as it is a dog-friendly state.

Many places do month to month as then the landlord can just give you notice and you would have to move. It is easier to get rid of a bad tenant that way as opposed to breaking a long lease.

oregonwoodsmoke · 08-21-2016, 10:02 AM

I don't know about the landlords in Salem, but I do month to month agreements because it makes it easier to get rid of a bad tenant. Leases in Oregon are much more binding on the landlord than on the tenant. If I have a lease I can't get the tenant out and if the tenant has a lease, all he has to do is pay a small lease breaking fee and he is free. So, I am tied to the full year and the tenant is not. I fail to see any advantage to the lease from the landlord's point of view.

Cats can do extensive and very expensive damage. Dog odors can be cleaned up, cat odors require ripping everything out and replacing it with new.

Also, I have had and my son has had, tenants who open up the foundation so that their cats can get under the house and out of the weather. The cats tear up insulation, damage heat tape, and pee and crap all over underneath the house, making the entire house stink. It costs thousands of dollars to clean that mess up, including damage to plumbing from freezing because cold air was allowed under the house and insulation and heat tape damaged around the plumbing.

I can evaluate the care and training of a dog. How the tenant takes care of their cat is simply a mystery until damage is either done or not done.

Metlakatla · 08-22-2016, 02:19 PM

And when they open up the foundation for their cat to get under the house, they open it up for every cat in the neighborhood, including feral cats, to do the same. Oregon has a pretty bad feral cat problem.

It's also been my experience that tenants are more likely to simply leave cats behind when they more for whatever reason.

Boxfox · 09-01-2016, 07:57 AM

Woah, I have never even heard of this "opening up foundation thing", criminey. I can see why this is problematic.

Boxfox · 09-01-2016, 07:58 AM

Thanks for the answers, I really appreciate it.

bler144 · 09-01-2016, 09:35 AM

Out of curiosity, why not look at buying?

Portland is a mess rent or buy, but Salem in my opinion the metrics skew towards buying - tight rental market, decent supply of homes for purchase, median home sales price around 220,000.

Boxfox · 09-01-2016, 10:24 AM

I totally did Bler144. I talked to a realtor and he said since we are moving across the country it would be best if we had our jobs in Salem for at least 6 months before applying for a mortgage. He just said it wasn't the right time for us, which was disappointing because my partner does construction/plumbing/HVAC. We could honestly find a cheap fixer-upper/foreclosure and make most of the repairs ourselves.

Silverfall · 09-01-2016, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boxfox

I totally did Bler144. I talked to a realtor and he said since we are moving across the country it would be best if we had our jobs in Salem for at least 6 months before applying for a mortgage. He just said it wasn't the right time for us, which was disappointing because my partner does construction/plumbing/HVAC. We could honestly find a cheap fixer-upper/foreclosure and make most of the repairs ourselves.

No, that's not true. You need to have jobs here, but if they are in the same/similar industry to the ones you are in you can by right away.

Fixers generally require cash though unless you go for a cosmetic fixer.

Boxfox · 09-02-2016, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silverfall

No, that's not true. You need to have jobs here, but if they are in the same/similar industry to the ones you are in you can by right away.

Fixers generally require cash though unless you go for a cosmetic fixer.

Oh thanks! That's good to know. The realtor seemed kind of like a negative nancy and I am not sure why, but tbf I have student loans and am just out of a professional degree program. He was probably being pragmatic.