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I'm 22, will soon be moving out of my family's house for the first time, and am currently looking for a place of my own. I've never rented a place before or lived anywhere else and will be moving alone (not sharing a place with family members, roommates, a significant other, friends etc) so I'm quite new to this and have a few questions. Right now I'm just looking on Craigslist for places to rent that interest me and are in my price range. I've got a list of possible places that I'd like to go visit but I have a few questions about contacting the landlords/realtors that are advertising them as well as some other questions about first-time moving/renting in general that I'm hoping I can get some help with.
1. First off, when contacting the people advertising the rentals, is there anything specific I'm supposed to say in my e-mail or phone call? So far in my e-mails I've just been saying something along the lines of "Hi, I'm interested in your rental, is it still available? I'd love to come out and see it some time, let me know when works best for you" and then I end it with my name and phone numbers. However, I only get responses maybe 25% of the time with these e-mails so I feel like I'm doing something wrong that's causing me to be ignored. What else should I say/shouldn't I say?
2. So far I've gotten 3 responses that have simply said something along the lines of "yes it's still available, here's an application." This is without me ever seeing the place. Is it typical/expected to fill out an application before even seeing the property? And is it unreasonable to ask to see the place before filling out an application?
3. I've noticed that many of these landlords/realtors want references from previous landlords...what am I supposed to say to this when asked? I've lived with my family up until now, but I take it that a positive reference from them isn't worth much.
4. What do I say to the landlords/realtors who want to know my yearly income? Since I'm not staying around here, my yearly income will depend on the location I end up moving to (I'm looking at many different areas) and what job I end up getting there. I currently make a small amount from a self-owned business but it's only just barely enough to pay the rent + utilities. My family will be helping me finance my own place until I find a second job in whatever area I move to, so paying the rent won't be a problem, but I'm not sure how to convince the landlords of this when my current yearly income is so minimal.
5. Finally, does anyone have any advice for places to look for housing rentals other than Craigslist? I'm not really interested in an apartment or condo and am instead looking for a small 1 or 2 bedroom home in a private setting (like a cottage or cabin) that isn't super expensive, but I'm having a hard time finding places like this for rent. I've found plenty that are for sale and plenty of "vacation rentals" for $5k+ a week but not many year-round rentals at a reasonable price. What other websites or outlets might have these sorts of listings available?
Thanks in advance for any help, it's much needed and very much appreciated!
You have left out one very important piece of information. Where are you looking? What city or town? Are you just checking out areas in which to live or do you know exactly where you want to live? These things can differ greatly from place to place. For example, if you live in a place where there is a housing shortage, landlords will be very picky and will demand you complete an application before they see you. They will also be more thorough in checking your references. If this is your first rental, landlords are going to want to do some pretty close scrutinzing.
If you are not ready to rent the places about which you are inquiring, landlords will not be interested in speaking to you. Their concerns are getting their property rented ASAP.
Where I live, Portland Oregon, competition for housing is very tough and rents are high. Few house rentals are available and those that are, are very expensive. There is a 3% vacany rate within the city.
In a town where there are more available rentals, landlords may not be so stringent in their requirements. The best way to find an apartment I think is to scour the neighborhoods in which you are interested to look for "For Rent" signs. Many landlords of small apartment buildings advertise only in that way. Besides Craig's List there are the classifieds and Padmapper.
In these times, many people are looking for rental housing because their homes have been forclosed on added to the usual amount of people looking to rent.
You have left out one very important piece of information. Where are you looking? What city or town? Are you just checking out areas in which to live or do you know exactly where you want to live? These things can differ greatly from place to place. For example, if you live in a place where there is a housing shortage, landlords will be very picky and will demand you complete an application before they see you. They will also be more thorough in checking your references. If this is your first rental, landlords are going to want to do some pretty close scrutinzing.
I'm currently looking in (mostly) rural communities in western MA, upstate NY (North Country/Adirondacks), Vermont, Maine and New Hampshire. I'm looking mostly in small towns (population usually around 1,000) since the rent is the most affordable in these places. From what I can tell, there isn't much of a housing shortage in the more rural communities, but I'm not terribly knowledgeable on the subject so I could be mistaken.
Quote:
Originally Posted by LIGuy1202
I got my information from all the people I knew with renting experience. Why can't you do the same?
I've talked to most everyone I know about this and have certainly gathered plenty of useful information from doing so, but there are still some things I'm unsure about and haven't been able to get answers to yet.
If you're responding to a private landord's ad on craigslist, you're going to need to sell yourself as a responsible renter who will pay the rent and utilities on time, take care of their home and not pester the neighbors. A generic reply will usually not prompt as response. Since you don't have references or a verifiable income you may have to have your parents co-sign, most small towns have a small amount of available jobs, the landlord knows this and may not have faith in your ability to pay the bills. If you can visit some of these small towns, go into the local real estate offices and present yourself, let them know that you are looking for a small place to rent and maybe you'll find someone who will give you a chance without a job in hand.
I'm currently looking in (mostly) rural communities in western MA, upstate NY (North Country/Adirondacks), Vermont, Maine and New Hampshire. I'm looking mostly in small towns (population usually around 1,000) since the rent is the most affordable in these places. From what I can tell, there isn't much of a housing shortage in the more rural communities, but I'm not terribly knowledgeable on the subject so I could be mistaken.
I've talked to most everyone I know about this and have certainly gathered plenty of useful information from doing so, but there are still some things I'm unsure about and haven't been able to get answers to yet.
What kind of information are you asking them for? Just general or specifics leading up to actually giving them your deposits and moving in?
Maybe because you are looking in so many places, landlords aren't taking you seriously. It looks more as if you are actually on a fact-finding mission than seriously looking for a place to live. Prospective landlords do not like that. They want someone in their rentals ASAP.
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