Question about rental house on Siesta Key. (Key West: neighborhood, tenants)

[Janemar]

We have a 2 bedroom, 1 bath house in the Siesta Key Village that we are going to be renting. It is a very easy walk to the Village and walk to the beach. It is an old beach style home, with garage. This is an annual rent and utilities are going to be included. It is unfurnished. Comes with washer and dryer, stove and fridge, and has central air. In a Key West style neighborhood. Any idea what to charge for rent? Also what is the typical practice for security deposit, set amount or first and last months rent? Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thank You.

[SellingSRQ]

I'm a realtor in the area so I can answer a few of your questions as best I can. As far as including utilities, I would highly suggest you put a clause in the lease "up to $150" or whatever amount you come up with as reasonable. A person can run up your electric and you can be getting huge bills. I learned that one the hard way.

As far as the deposits....first, last and security is the norm. So they would pay 3 months up front. Also, pet deposits are on top of that.

As far as the rent goes that will really depend on the size and condition of your house. You can go on craigslist and search for Siesta Key under housing section and compare there. Or you can DM me and send me the address and I can look at comps for you and see what they rent for.

That area will rent quickly so I am sure you won't have any problems finding a tenant.

Good luck!

[blueherons]

Originally Posted by Janemar

We have a 2 bedroom, 1 bath house in the Siesta Key Village that we are going to be renting. It is a very easy walk to the Village and walk to the beach. It is an old beach style home, with garage. This is an annual rent and utilities are going to be included. It is unfurnished. Comes with washer and dryer, stove and fridge, and has central air. In a Key West style neighborhood. Any idea what to charge for rent? Also what is the typical practice for security deposit, set amount or first and last months rent? Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thank You.

PM me, I am interested in renting. My husband and I are DINKS.

[Sunshine Rules]

Before renting to anyone, I suggest becoming very familiar with the state law regarding tenants and landlords.

Here's a link to a condensed version put out by the FL Bar: Consumer Tip: RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF TENANTS AND LANDLORDS

and here's the link to the state of FL's site with the actual legislation:
Statutes & Constitution :View Statutes : Online Sunshine


That way you'll know what you are legally required to do as a landlord and what the tenants rights are too. It may save you from legal hassles down the line....