Rentals/Neighborhoods/pets/etc (Sarasota, Bradenton: spring break, real estate, 2013)

[chicablanquita88]

Hi
I'm moving to the Sarasota area from Illinois to be near an elderly family member. I spent every summer and spring break with my family in Sarasota and still visit but I am only familiar really with the Gulf Gate / Siesta Key area and Venice somewhat.

I am having a really hard time finding a rental that will accept my pets. I have a very large dog (8 year old Great Dane) and a cat. My challenge is that I need to find a rental from out of state - and because I've seen so many rental scams I'm trying to work with real estate companies or management companies that I can research. I feel that sometimes I'm written off as soon as I say large dog. Or cat. I have a solid work history - been with my company for 13 years and I'm able to work from a home office so have the ok to move. Just need an address so that I can get plans in place and really need to be situated by beginning of August, preferably July. Ideally I could be in Sarasota but am also looking in Bradenton, Venice and have started to include North Port in my search.

My other challenge is that I think that the places that I am finding that maybe will work out are not in good areas. I don't know what I don't know though so wanted to ask for some advice.
Amaryllis Park - from what I'm seeing is near Newtown and from what I'm hearing about Newtown I should avoid it if I'm looking for a safe neighborhood. I have kids - a teen and a small child - and do want to be in a family friendly neighborhood. I'm from Chicago and I've been around bad neighborhoods - to me a bad neighborhood is where I have to be afraid to walk around at night, afraid that my kids might get shot walking out of the house, drug activity visible on the corners, etc. I moved away from that and don't want to go back into the same environment. Scanning the net Sarasota has a bad/high crime rating and I guess I'm kind of surprised - I don't see it that way at all and have always loved Sarasota and wanted to live there. Does anyone have any info about Amaryllis Park?

If anyone knows of any pet friendly places in a family friendly area please let me know - I'm looking for a 3 bedroom in the $1K -1.2K range. Will be looking to buy in a year or two but need to rent for first year at least.

THANK YOU so much. I appreciate it.

[blueherons]

I have three cats and most of the rentals I saw said 'no pets'. I'd ignore that, talk to the realtor or go look at the realtor, and every single time they waved the 'no pets' thing.

I'm beginning to think is just a standard clause.

Find out the deal with the rental, then ask if you can bring your pets. One realtor I had was dead set on no pets with his rental then when he asked the owner (it was an all tile floor home), come to find out the owner was very tied into multiple animal rescues, said of course.

[sware2cod]

offer to pay an extra $100/mo rent for the pets.

[zmgriffith]

Most small houses will accept pets, but they're going to make you pay a $350.00 pet deposit, and you will not get it back. They'll say "I smell cat" and that's it.

You're going to need to work on that budget, a bit, if you want 3 beds in a safe area.

Newtown should be avoided at all costs. Stay where you are, now, and write letters to the elderly relative rather than living anywhere near Newtown.

[gypsychic]

Good luck to you, finding a place is probably going to be tough - this article was just in today's paper:

Southwest Florida affordable housing again in short supply | HeraldTribune.com

It's about both rentals and sales. Sarasota will be toughest, high occupancy rate here, and high cost. if I were you I would look in the other towns you mentioned. There is probably more available in North Port.

[TamRE]

Here are some rental sites to try:

MLS - http://myfloridahomesmls.com/
Ebay Classifieds – eBay Classifieds (Kijiji) - Post & Search Free Local Classified Ads.
Florida Rental Ads – Florida Homes for Rent | Houses for Rent in Florida
Real Rentals – Houses For Rent - Homes For Rent | RealRentals.com
Rentals.com – www.rentals.com
Rent Range – www.rentrange.com
Sarasota Herald Tribune - Sarasota Florida news, weather, sports and business | HeraldTribune.com | Sarasota FL
Sun Herald – www.sunnewspapers.net

[Californianz]

It is very tough, but summer is probably the best time to look as it's the "off season". Some places try to charge double in the 'high season".

We found a rental house on Craigslist in Manatee County/Sarasota - but we had two big caveats to overcome.
1. We only wanted 7 months
2. Large dog (Golden)
3. Needed 2 car garage for storage

The house is a pit, but we're out of here in 3 months now. (gone by Sept. 1 at the latest)
The landlord is a slumlord but did replace the A/C when it completely died.
He's trying to charge us for repairing a 40 year old toilet that had internal problems.
We just had a massive outbreak of flying ants in the house.
The back yard has a fence but it's so disgusting we won't let the dog out there.
The yard had 3 feet tall of weeds when he handed us the keys.
The recycling bin filled with water and a rat fell in and died.
The house had been abandoned and he bought it as a foreclosure - we suspect it was filled with mold which he just painted over.
Cabinets and appliances are new (cheap ones).
It's actually in a decent neighborhood... not great, but convenient and quiet.

For us though we didn't have any choice but to take what was available. We sold out of state and hubby already was living in hotels down here due to work relocation.

Rent = $1500/mo (charged $100/mo extra because of dog & short term)
Bedrooms:3 beds
Bathrooms:2 baths
Single Family:1,434 sq ft
Lot:11,761 sq ft
Year Built:1987
Last Sold:Nov 2012 for $106,000

[Ladywithafan]

Originally Posted by Californianz

It is very tough, but summer is probably the best time to look as it's the "off season". Some places try to charge double in the 'high season".

We found a rental house on Craigslist in Manatee County/Sarasota - but we had two big caveats to overcome.
1. We only wanted 7 months
2. Large dog (Golden)
3. Needed 2 car garage for storage

The house is a pit, but we're out of here in 3 months now. (gone by Sept. 1 at the latest)
The landlord is a slumlord but did replace the A/C when it completely died.
He's trying to charge us for repairing a 40 year old toilet that had internal problems.
We just had a massive outbreak of flying ants in the house.
The back yard has a fence but it's so disgusting we won't let the dog out there.
The yard had 3 feet tall of weeds when he handed us the keys.
The recycling bin filled with water and a rat fell in and died.
The house had been abandoned and he bought it as a foreclosure - we suspect it was filled with mold which he just painted over.
Cabinets and appliances are new (cheap ones).
It's actually in a decent neighborhood... not great, but convenient and quiet.

For us though we didn't have any choice but to take what was available. We sold out of state and hubby already was living in hotels down here due to work relocation.

Rent = $1500/mo (charged $100/mo extra because of dog & short term)
Bedrooms:3 beds
Bathrooms:2 baths
Single Family:1,434 sq ft
Lot:11,761 sq ft
Year Built:1987
Last Sold:Nov 2012 for $106,000

All of the above is why the landlord should accompany the renters on a walk through and make a notation of all the "existing issues" prior to signing the lease. Add photos for each issue as well & have landlord initial & date. Makes moving out & getting your deposit more likely...usually. Google your landlord as many are "known" not to return security deposits. Flying ants=termites; season just began for them! if you have wood furniture, look for little piles of black dots; a friend of mine just had to have her antique furniture treated for them.

[annken727]

I have a rottweiler and chihuahua and had the same issue. I looked at houses that said no animals and then talked to the landlords. First I fibbed and said the rottweiler was a mix. Second I offered an extra $100 on rent plus an additional 500/pet security. Third I had letters from previous landlords saying we are good tenants and our dogs never caused any problems or damage. Most landlords do not want animals, but money talks and unfortunately being a renter with animals is going to cost you. Good luck.

Also I know gulf gate is a nice area but pricey. You might have to go over your budget. If you had no pets you probably could of found something. I would take a look around beeridge right off of 75.

[Nancy in Nokomis]

We just moved to a rental home in North Port - every ad said no pets
We have a large Cane Corso - my husband called on a few no oet rentals to tell them how well behaved our dog is,etc and was able to convince them to rent to us