Questions 'n Frustrations: Trying to find a rental home in Euless (Dallas: real estate, apartment complex)

[lys]

I work in Dallas and live in an apartment less than five miles from my job. My daughter and grandson live with friends in the Riverside/Haltom City area; and she works in Euless. My father - who has a lot of health issues - lives in Arlington. Most of my grandson's paternal family lives in Euless. My apartment lease is up the end of this month (July '08); and, my daughter is wanting to move out of the neighborhood she and the kiddo live in currently.

Due to all those factors (Central and close to the rest of the family, etc..), my daughter and I are trying to find a decent rental home in Euless to live together and share with the upbringing of my grandson.

We have run into several stumbling blocks.

Even though we both work full-time, due to gas prices and other various expenses, we are trying to keep the rent around $800-$850/mo. We could probably push it close to $950/mo; but, it would not allow much margin for 'emergencies'.

She would like a nicer looking neigbhorhood (just as the area just SW of Glade/360 or the area just East of Euless Main off Denton). They are all Duplexes and most are either over our price range and/or too small. They all look pretty though.

I would like a place with a fenced back yard for her son to have plenty of room to play w/o having to be near the street (he's three and very fast!). I would prefer to have 3BD - so the kiddo could have his own room; but, we could work with a 2BD if there was space somewhere to put all his "stuff".

This probably sounds likes we are looking for the impossible; but, we have actually found three places we would have liked to have called "home"...

The problem?

1st one... Landlord showed my daughter the home... 4BD, HUGE fenced yard, 2 Car detached garage, very nice elderly neighbor who happens to like goofy 3 yr old kids... Couple blocks from grade school, just a coin-toss from Trinity HS (where my Grandson's daddy and uncles and cousins, etc attended...)... $800/mo! Seemed like an awesome deal! She took the rent sign down, advised my daughter she was going to be out of town a few days; and, asked my daughter to call back the following Sunday. My daughter called back at 8:30am Sunday morning.... The landlord told her someone had already placed an application...

2nd one... Well, this one probably doesn't even count; but..... Saw several ads online... At least one relative lives on the same street. Several within a mile of the house. Grade school block and half away. 3BD, well over 1000sq.ft (believe it was around 1200sq.ft), huge fenced and shaded back yard... $800/mo! After several attempts to call the number posted on all the ads ~ was advised it had been leased a couple MONTHS ago! ugh.

3rd one... I literally cried with this one! Out of a missed opportunity and frustration!!! 2BD "cute" Duplex off Denton. Very well kept. Half the back yard was a covered carport/patio area, the other half thick grass... with a Wooden Play Set! Tall and sturdy privacy fence... Neighbors who had been in the neighborhood for YEARS! Very much a "family" feeling neighborhood! Again, $800/mo! Met with the landlords, provided our information, I called my apartment complex to let them know the landlord would be contacting them for my rental history... It was looking good! (or so I thought!) Turns out - even though the leasing agent at my apartment complex advised it would be "OK", that when the landlord showed up to confirm I really lived there and get my rental history, she spoke with someone else in the office who could not provide it to her because I had not provided a written 30 day notice of intent to vacate.... Yes, I was at work when my daughter called with the news... and cried.

That third landlord had immediately called the next applicant and offered the duplex to them. Lesson hard learned.

I had a heart to heart with the apartments and asked exactly how I should handle this??? Since they can't legally provide a rental history without having a written notice to vacate in hand; and, I can't provide a notice until I have a place to move into at the end of said 30 days. They suggested I provide a noticed immediately prior to having a future landlord contact them; and, if for any reason we are not approved, as long as I tell them within a couple days, they will tear up the notice.

I really appreciate the fact that my current apartments are trying to work with me on the legal end of it... but seriously... if they weren't???? What is someone in my position suppose to do?!? I mean, technically they can't provide information about my rental history until they have the notice; but, I can't get approved unless a landlord can confirm my rental history?!?! Sooooo frustrating!

At any rate, it appears there are a handful of places which meet our needs - within our price range... but, due to the loopholes, it seems difficult at best to grab one up!

Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can maximize our chances of ever finding our future "home"???

(regardless... THANKS for letting me vent! )

/lys

[ChristieP]

As you have found out, you have to give your notice to vacate and THEN find a rental house. Yes, it is scary to have to give notice without knowing where you're going, but as you've found out, good rental properties move quickly!

[loves2read]

I don't see why the apt complex has to wait until you turn in a notice to vacate to give info about rental history==someone might be checking that as part of credit history for a loan or a job application since so many companies look at people's credit history now as well
I think if you give permission for the apt complex to release why should they not give it unless they don't want you running out on the lease--it is a self-protection issue for them---they want to know when people are contemplating leaving since they don't want to be holding an empty apt without notice...they are holding that over your head--but because you have to give 30 days notice before you can legally move out--can you even GET a rental house--will a landlord wait 30 days to hold a house for you?

saw you craigslist rental wanted ad--I think--hope that does some good--lots of people post on there but did not see anything like what you want
ask your next possible landlord if you can provide something in lieu of that apt statement--what about a copy of your lease and your past cancelled checks to show that rent was paid on time...
would you consider Bedford--there are quite a few townhomes on Forest Ridge that are for lease--that is not a bad area--close to park/library/freeway/ shopping

[lys]

Thanks to both of you for your prompt replies!

If I could be so blunt, "scary" is not the word that comes to my mind.... more like "stupid". The concept is ridiculous to me!

Not being argumentative ~ just stating how I feel. Landlords go through so much trouble to ensure their tenants are dependable... It seems like Landlords would like to know their prospective renters are dependable enough to not play such risky games with their family's lives!

At any rate, I will be going "Month-to-Month" and will play the little 'games' of formality, if I must. It just seems like a waste of time and effort to submit a notice to vacate and retract it the next day, if an application does not go through!

Fortunately, since I don't plan on throwing $30-35 bucks away to everyone I speak to; and, I only plan on applying for places I believe I actually have a chance of becoming approved for - HOPEFULLY, it will be a non-issue from this point out. It is still very frustrating to have to play such 'games' out of formality!

It seems there should be a 'form' which could be signed allowing them to disclose information to specific individuals and/or "types of companies" - like Doctors and Employers have in place. I would gladly sign a release like that (as a matter of fact, I typed something out along that line and tried to give it to them; but, they insisted they would need a 30 Day Intent to Vacate Notice prior to disclosing any information about me... *sighs*)

Wish us luck!

Thanks again!!!
/lys




ps: Yes, I did post an ad (two actually, several days apart - one in real estate and one under apartments, since it seems to be easier to find). I only received two replies: One we have not been able to get in touch with; but, the property is right on a busy access road - which is not where I need my grandson to live near; and, the other was a Realtor - who has not returned my reply to his... Not giving up yet though!