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Thanks a lot guys for all your input! Just so anyone knows, my apt isn't owned by a private LL, but a corporation as all the complexes here in my city.
Below's my next reply to additional comments:
Quote:
Originally Posted by jmellc
Sounds like a lot of work and expense. I would keep what I had if it is in good shape.
Part of me wishes I could! I want to say just leave me be so I can continue living here harmoniously! If only the reno was already done w/ the snap of my finger!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Levante
Ask LL if they could let you stay in a vacant apartment on property as you are still paying them rent.
Another reason to ask: it may not finish in a week - I would expect it to be done in a month if you are lucky as there are always contingencies in renovation, repairs.
Is it large enough complex that they have an already renovated rental for you to move into?
I thought of those 2 things at the beginning, which I assumed they'd probbably offer while this was happening, but they didn't (them letting us stay in vacant unit) & once I got the initial info, I was going to ask about just moving into an already-upgraded other unit. Of course, if so, the rent will be their current, "market price". There's 400 units here totaling several bldgs.
They have a whole very specific itinerary of what they'll do each day from 8am - 6pm, so although I know things happen, they should be done in a week. They'll have their crew working on it. That's why best to just stay in hotel or w/ my mom.
Quote:
Originally Posted by KaraG
First of all, I'm sorry that you both have ailments and don't feel well.
It's good to know that you should have your renewal letter in the next few days. That will help you make a decision. I suggest you look around though and have a Plan B & C in case the new rent will be too high.
I just want to encourage you to be more proactive about packing up, sounds like it's going to happen no matter what. Many of us moved many times in much shorter time frames, while working, older, with kids, pets and businesses. It's not as difficult as you are imagining and it's a great time to get rid of things you've accumulated that you don't need anymore.
Thanks, yep, already said we'll start boxing up gradually. We'll only do so much. Husb has a delicate back & another issue (he needs surgery for) & is on his feet the entire time at work. I have this inflammatory skin condition that really hinders quality of life, so we'll get it done, but we'll only do so much in a day too. After I work 10-16 hrs a day or more, I like to rest, so that's why we'll get started here pretty soon. We gotta buy boxes first.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Joylush
Find out what the rent will be at renewal if the renovation is done v if it’s not done.
I'll try.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Maddie104
I suspect there will be a significant rent increase either way and the LL is anticipating that you may not renew. It is in their best interests to have the apartment updated before renewal so the apartment is show ready for new tenants.
Check your lease on LL's right to renovate while you occupy the apartment. I wouldn't assume that these renovations are being done for your enjoyment so I wouldn't go to any expense to vacate.
My daughter's LL paid her while she occupied her apartment during renovations. She was sorry she didn't ask for more money since there was dust all over, noise non-scheduled entry by mistake and it took much longer than scheduled. Her situation was different in that she was not renewing her lease but if she didn't give permission for the renovations prior to the end of her lease, I doubt the LL would have received the higher rental amount charged the new tenants who immediately moved in.
Yep, last year was the hugest increase ever since lived here...$200, so I've been afriad to know what it will be this year & again, that was BEFORE the reno was offered to me. The thing is, back when I was apt-hunting 12 yrs ago. I finally chose this place because it was the best for the money & it still seems to be that now. Sure, they've built a few new, swanky complexes...of course for more $ that we can't really afford. Anything else were the SAME complexes that were around all along, which were kind of bad then & just as bad or worse now (read reviews of rats, roaches, mold, mailboxes broken into, etc.) So it's best to just try to stay here & I honestly love it here. I never had any bit of trouble...no truble w/ any neighbors in all my 12 years here.
The part you said about not spending anything to vacate...well, if we say NO to the reno, we risk them not renewing the lease & I'll maybe find out what happens if we say no. If we say YES, they're not helping us w/ a thing...no putting us up in hotel, no moving co. they partner w/ to help us move, etc. I asked, but will ask again if there's ANYTHING AT ALL they can help w/ because I calculate about $1000 -1200 total out of OUR pockets to pay for all this that we didn't even ask for...about $600 something will be saved not getting hotel across the street (Holiday Inn Express) if we do end up staying w/ my mom all M-F which she offered.
My son & I Stayed in our apt during updating. Move everything off the living room dining kitchen bath hallways & closets into both bedrooms when the new flooring went down. Took couple hours the day before to do that ..except appliances they moved. Couple hours to move things back when done. When they came into paint... moved everything into the middle of the rooms put a plastic tarp over it. Kitchen Washed Everything dried & put them in cabinet. Out with the old... make sure you remove food from Refrigerator. Pots & pans out of stove!
Took a week off in on so things can dry good, flooring settle. When they put new flooring in bedrooms we moved everything in living room.
Remodeling does not take long. Hours for each project.
I just want to encourage you to be more proactive about packing up, sounds like it's going to happen no matter what. Many of us moved many times in much shorter time frames, while working, older, with kids, pets and businesses. It's not as difficult as you are imagining and it's a great time to get rid of things you've accumulated that you don't need anymore.
Agree. I packed up an entire house with three kids, a job and no help at all - none - there is simply no possible way that packing belongings can take that long and if you're physically unable you'd have to pay the movers to do it.
The only way to determine if this is worth it is to know what happens if you don't "allow" it which frankly I cannot see being the rights of the renter.
My son went through this last year in his college apartment. They had to move all their stuff out of the kitchen and bathrooms but that was it for that week, then they came and did the rest of the apartment (floors) at another time. It is not realistic for a LL, in the absence of the unit being uninhabitable, to ask a tenant to vacate a premises entirely without offering some kind of compensation. They HAVE to know if they are renovating the entire unit at one time, and you can't live there, you would need to pay to live somewhere else. Either they can pro rate your rent or they can pay for a hotel or something, but anything else doesn't make any reasonable sense if the apartment is livable as it is.
This renovation doesn't help you at all. You don't own the place. If someone offered to re-do my kitchen for me, that would benefit me because I own the place. But for you, if you're looking at new shiny things as a benefit to you, when it's actually a huge inconvenience, you're allowing yourself to be sold a bill of goods.
Read my latest post #21 if you haven't already. We'll get all the packing done, but it's still a grueling task.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Katie1
My son & I Stayed in our apt during updating. Move everything off the living room dining kitchen bath hallways & closets into both bedrooms when the new flooring went down. Took couple hours the day before to do that ..except appliances they moved. Couple hours to move things back when done. When they came into paint... moved everything into the middle of the rooms put a plastic tarp over it. Kitchen Washed Everything dried & put them in cabinet. Out with the old... make sure you remove food from Refrigerator. Pots & pans out of stove!
Took a week off in on so things can dry good, flooring settle. When they put new flooring in bedrooms we moved everything in living room.
Remodeling does not take long. Hours for each project.
Right, I know some people still live in their place during reno, but I'm not....I wouldn't dare. I also have a respiratory condition & I'm not taking a chance just wearing a mask 8 hrs a day while they're tearing things down, etc. w/ dust flying all over the place even if they do lay out dust screens or whatever they're called.
They have a whole very specific itinerary of what they'll do M-F from 8am - 6pm, which I was already sent so I know the entire apt doesn't have to be cleared at once, so I'll plan around that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by twingles
Agree. I packed up an entire house with three kids, a job and no help at all - none - there is simply no possible way that packing belongings can take that long and if you're physically unable you'd have to pay the movers to do it.
The only way to determine if this is worth it is to know what happens if you don't "allow" it which frankly I cannot see being the rights of the renter.
My son went through this last year in his college apartment. They had to move all their stuff out of the kitchen and bathrooms but that was it for that week, then they came and did the rest of the apartment (floors) at another time. It is not realistic for a LL, in the absence of the unit being uninhabitable, to ask a tenant to vacate a premises entirely without offering some kind of compensation. They HAVE to know if they are renovating the entire unit at one time, and you can't live there, you would need to pay to live somewhere else. Either they can pro rate your rent or they can pay for a hotel or something, but anything else doesn't make any reasonable sense if the apartment is livable as it is.
This renovation doesn't help you at all. You don't own the place. If someone offered to re-do my kitchen for me, that would benefit me because I own the place. But for you, if you're looking at new shiny things as a benefit to you, when it's actually a huge inconvenience, you're allowing yourself to be sold a bill of goods.
Read my post #21. If you've been able to pack up everything w/ 3 kids, etc., that's great. You had your kids to help you, so that's 3 more pairs of hands. Husband & I don't, plus we have ailments if you didn't read what I suggested to read what I said already.
& I realize they want to upgrade so they're ready to show prospective renters. They just didn't know we'd live here so long.
.......This renovation doesn't help you at all. You don't own the place. If someone offered to re-do my kitchen for me, that would benefit me because I own the place. But for you, if you're looking at new shiny things as a benefit to you, when it's actually a huge inconvenience, you're allowing yourself to be sold a bill of goods.
Perhaps it makes no difference to you whether you live in a dump or a sparkling new up-to-date place with new flooring and new paint. However, many people like to have new appliances and nice clean paint and good looking floors where they live. So, there is probably a lot of benefit to the OP if she happens to be a person that would like to live in a nice apartment. OP has already said that she enjoys living in the building and would prefer to not move to a different place. The benefit to the OP is that she gets a newly renovated and pleasant place to live and she doesn't have to pay the tens of thousands of dollars that it costs to do all that upgrading. It's her family that lives there and gets to enjoy it so it does benefit the OP.
Well, I have some more questions for the leasing mgr, but in the meantime, let the packing officially begin! Husband got boxes yesterday, so we'll get started here, which I started doing a little already. Hopefully, there's' more to just throw out than I think. Hopefully, we won't have to pay for storage & IF needed, a storage pod IF it's allowed.
Other than maybe Costco & other grocery stores, anyone know where to get FREE boxes? So far, Walmart sells 3 sizes...the biggest one $2.10 each & I'd think their boxes would be cheaper than Lowe's or Home Depot.
This is going to be like getting a whole NEW apt, but the same apt I've always loved! How many people get to experience that? (Just no new W/D, bathtub, or toilet.) Of course I'm going to buy some new things & things to replace some old things.
We'll invite my mom over when it's all done!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by oregonwoodsmoke
Perhaps it makes no difference to you whether you live in a dump or a sparkling new up-to-date place with new flooring and new paint. However, many people like to have new appliances and nice clean paint and good looking floors where they live. So, there is probably a lot of benefit to the OP if she happens to be a person that would like to live in a nice apartment. OP has already said that she enjoys living in the building and would prefer to not move to a different place. The benefit to the OP is that she gets a newly renovated and pleasant place to live and she doesn't have to pay the tens of thousands of dollars that it costs to do all that upgrading. It's her family that lives there and gets to enjoy it so it does benefit the OP.
Exactly & thank you for saying so! I know I don't own it, but just like when people rent cars, they enjoy driving their car while they've got it. Anyone who rents deserves something nice to live in too while they're paying the (high) rent for it. Some people never own in their whole lives. Sure, I'd love to own a home, but it's an apt in the meantime!
Again, we weren't moving anytime soon anyway. I can see us living here 5-7 or more years at the least, so it's definitely worth it to upgrade it. It needs it. I've been here 12 yrs already.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Katie1
IF you have Rental Insurance perhaps with your health problems they pay for Hotel bill.
Great reminder, thanks! I don't kmnow if I would have thought of this in time.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Okey Dokie
Contact a local scout troop or church youth group to see if they would help you as a service project.
When I was moving, I always was able to get really good sturdy boxes for free from the local Ace Hardware store. They kept them in a big bin until they did their weekly breakdown of the boxes so I'd go the day before and gather up the best ones. I'd also check with any independent stores like grocery, minimarkets, drug stores, too.
Good luck with the packing. I've found it easiest to just concentrate on one room at a time. You'll soon be enjoying your updated home so keep your eye on the prize!
When I was moving, I always was able to get really good sturdy boxes for free from the local Ace Hardware store. They kept them in a big bin until they did their weekly breakdown of the boxes so I'd go the day before and gather up the best ones. I'd also check with any independent stores like grocery, minimarkets, drug stores, too.
Good luck with the packing. I've found it easiest to just concentrate on one room at a time. You'll soon be enjoying your updated home so keep your eye on the prize!
Yes, check any store. Some things you'll probably want to just keep in the car. You can also pack things in your suitcases.
I'd check into getting a local rental from U-Haul. Just keep everything in the U-Haul. Since you're not going far you don't have to be be as careful with the packing. I'd leave the clothes on the hangers and just lay them on top of your sofas and mattresses. Towels can go in your laundry baskets.
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Just so anyone knows, my apt isn't owned by a private LL, but a corporation as all the complexes here in my city.
I know I don't own it, but just like when people rent cars, they enjoy driving their car while they've got it. Anyone who rents deserves something nice to live in too while they're paying the (high) rent for it. Some people never own in their whole lives. Sure, I'd love to own a home, but it's an apt in the meantime! 