Good resources for finding a rental house in CDA/Post Falls?

[BG79]

Originally Posted by elousv

I don't dig that either and you can see them out there as you are driving around. I will be driving through a farm that goes for miles then a bunch of houses that I could touch roof to roof. I will also remind you that the large area known as the 'prairie' is often windy. I am hyper-aware of wind since I lived in the godforsakendesert where it blew the shade out from under trees. If you need a relatively unbiased look at a place you are contemplating renting then I might be able to take a look-see. I remember an thread of someone that needed a 'proxy' to close the deal too.

Thank you.

Right now I am trying to find places in Hayden, Hayden Lake as first priority and then from there southeast CDA, the non prairie part of Rathdrum, or the places fairly close to the Kroc Center.

We want to avoid a HOA like the plague. One of the reasons we are leaving where are are now besides the obvious faults with my state is that we have been the victims of a rather abusive HOA where the three board members were all sandwiching my house and using their status as a mechanism to make our lives a living hell. While on paper I am sure the concept of an HOA is admirable it has the ability to be abused and when it does the erosion of your rights as a property owner is a very scary thing to witness. It also pushes the concept of neighbors essentially being in other neighbors business which is everything I want to get away from. Some of the places we liked were part of some association so I had to rule those out as well. Between associations and the cookie cutter sardine can houses it's seemingly difficult to find a decent rental.

Thats a good point about the wind, I didnt think of that. Though I really wasnt planning on living on the prairie portion anyways.

[clearwater66]

I hope you won't be in such a hurry that you will not pay attention to state tenant law and giving too much information to too many property managers or owners.

http://www.ag.idaho.gov/publications...lordTenant.pdf

For the most part, Idaho has comparable laws, with one important exception - mold and mildew. You are on your own, if you find mold or mildrew after you accept occupancy because the law does not force a landlord to treat it. FYI The state will offer suggestions on how you can treat it yourself. I hope Idaho changes this law because it is well known that some molds are a serious health hazard and the only way to get rid of it is to tear out the walls to the studs and of course, as a tenant you cannot do that.

We refuse to give our Social Security numbers to anyone or pay an application fee. We have never been assured by any property manager that our private information is fully secure in an office where many people may come and go during the day.

And if you apply to several companies and they credit check, your credit score is compromised and you could pay $25. here and $25. there, etc and still not find what you want.

We know the importance of a security check and that is part of the fee you pay. However, there is so much junk in the databases of online security companies and credit reporting agencies, it has become a nightmare that is nearly impossible to correct. One credit agency had to be sued to correct false info and what I had to correct on my report were a minimum of 16 typographical errors.

What is your age? Our age has worked well, as has our Idaho heritage. If you have kept a job, made mortgage payments, have good all around references and are willing to show up in person and develop a relationship with an owner, that seems to be the ideal.

Can you move your possessions into storage and stay in a furnished extended stay or clean motel for a month or two to find exactly what you want and what will work?

[BG79]

Originally Posted by clearwater66

I hope you won't be in such a hurry that you will not pay attention to state tenant law and giving too much information to too many property managers or owners.

http://www.ag.idaho.gov/publications...lordTenant.pdf

For the most part, Idaho has comparable laws, with one important exception - mold and mildew. You are on your own, if you find mold or mildrew after you accept occupancy because the law does not force a landlord to treat it. FYI The state will offer suggestions on how you can treat it yourself. I hope Idaho changes this law because it is well known that some molds are a serious health hazard and the only way to get rid of it is to tear out the walls to the studs and of course, as a tenant you cannot do that.

We refuse to give our Social Security numbers to anyone or pay an application fee. We have never been assured by any property manager that our private information is fully secure in an office where many people may come and go during the day.

And if you apply to several companies and they credit check, your credit score is compromised and you could pay $25. here and $25. there, etc and still not find what you want.

We know the importance of a security check and that is part of the fee you pay. However, there is so much junk in the databases of online security companies and credit reporting agencies, it has become a nightmare that is nearly impossible to correct. One credit agency had to be sued to correct false info and what I had to correct on my report were a minimum of 16 typographical errors.

What is your age? Our age has worked well, as has our Idaho heritage. If you have kept a job, made mortgage payments, have good all around references and are willing to show up in person and develop a relationship with an owner, that seems to be the ideal.

Can you move your possessions into storage and stay in a furnished extended stay or clean motel for a month or two to find exactly what you want and what will work?

I am not particularly worried about the mold issue and I wouldnt welcome a change to the law because part of what attracts me to Idaho is that buyer beware mentality where it promotes an ease of doing business. That's a different issue altogether though.

We havent registered or applied with any company yet as for the reasons you state we do not want constant credit checks. We're waiting to do that step when we find a place we want. We're in our 30's and are a current home owner. We obviously cannot show up in person due to being in CT so that does work against us but I would imagine a phone conversation would have someone coming to the conclusion that I am a straight shooter and don't intend on pulling any wool over their eyes.

Technically we could do the storage method but that comes at great cost and great inconvenience. If we do not have a place lined up by the time we move we'll have effectively 3 days or so from when we are due to arrive in CDA to find a place in which the moving company can still deliver it. My wife is a contractor and needs an internet connection to work so each day we're unable to get a reliable connection is a day she is not able to earn which adds to the expenses. If we miss that window of time the option is to rent a storage are and have the moving company deliver to that in which we then have to figure out how to then move the stuff from the storage unit to our new place. Considering we're coming with a 4door sedan being shipped and a relatively small stationwagon it's not the easiest of things to accomplish and would likely result in having to rent something to do it. Not to mention having no friends in the area and having to essentially do all the moving on my own instead of having the burly men we're so generously giving thousands of dollars to to move our stuff across the country. When you add in the cost of an extended stay hotel you can see that ups our expenses considerably so it's certainly much less ideal to not have a decent place lined up before we head out.

It's a crappy situation because it wasnt something we could adequately address in advance. We're at the whim of what's on the rental market.

[elousv]

Will work for pizza and beer, not Domino's and Schlitz though, make it Vincenzo's and Selkirk Abbey! I am not burly but my truck and trailer are.

[notoriouskelly]

Be very careful doing business on the net esp with craigslist- SO many scammers harvesting personal info and your checks and they are in other countries etc.

You'll be better off doing a weekly motel or similar than 'renting' from someone who may not even be in Idaho. Phone numbers can be spoofed around the world.

[BG79]

Originally Posted by notoriouskelly

Be very careful doing business on the net esp with craigslist- SO many scammers harvesting personal info and your checks and they are in other countries etc.

You'll be better off doing a weekly motel or similar than 'renting' from someone who may not even be in Idaho. Phone numbers can be spoofed around the world.

Oh, I know what you're talking about. I tend to sell a lot of things on craigslist and I bought both of our used cars through it. It's a lot of navigating through the weeds to find legit ads but I feel I have an eye for the typical warning signs. I remember with one they wanted me to pay through paypal. You were supposed to mention when you paid via paypal and then they'd email you a fake invoice of receipt from paypal and showing the item was shipped when it never was.

When we're renting from someone I am going to have a in depth phone call with them and any red flags will be popping out during that well before any money is exchanged.

[BG79]

Originally Posted by elousv

Will work for pizza and beer, not Domino's and Schlitz though, make it Vincenzo's and Selkirk Abbey! I am not burly but my truck and trailer are.

Haha, I'll have to take you up on that some time. Even if it's a very weak excuse to have some solid food with good beer.

I just looked up Selkirk Abbey. Sounds right up my alley, Belgian style beers are my favorite.

[javatom]

BG79 check your pm. I just sent you some info.

[normsw]

You might try looking at close-in homes in cdl. I lived there once, and there are some decent neighborhoods to the east and north of the village. Contact a realtor or two, or a rental agent.
Ads on craigslist run the gamut from great to awful, and the conners and scammers are there.
An agent is your best bet. Good luck.

[normsw]

You might try looking at close-in homes in cdl. I lived there once, and there are some decent neighborhoods to the east and north of the village. Contact a realtor or two, or a rental agent.
Ads on craigslist run the gamut from great to awful, and the conners and scammers are there.
An agent is your best bet. Good luck.