Finding a rental in Shoreline- (Seattle, Edmonds: extended stay, apartment, rentals)

[GraceKrispy]

We are looking at moving to Shoreline, and have been checking house rentals on Craigslist, Zillow, and random other places. We have 3 kids and two dogs, and we are currently half an ocean away (so visiting ahead of time is really tricky and expensive). Best bets for finding and securing a place to live? It makes me nervous to do this from afar, but I do have a good friend in West Seattle who is willing to meet with potential landlords on our behalf.

We want to get up there by the end of August so the kids can start school in September. Any advice would be much appreciated. We are still also considering Mountlake Terrace or Edmonds, but the husband's preference is the Shoreline area.

[victorianpunk]

I hate to say this but, I also moved to Seattle from the East Coast and unfortunately, nobody wanted to give me the time of day on rentals until they could see me in person. Thing is, there are A TON of people who try to scam landlords with the old "here's the deposit, and oh, I need that deposit back and you can just cash the check later" and other such scams. That, and they want to make sure you actually are who you say you are...you could be a convicted Russian mobster for all they know.

I would say get an extended stay hotel room or something for a couple of weeks and just send emails out to everyone once you get here. Or, like I did, send emails out and talk to landlords via email a day or two before you move here so you can just say "I'll check it out tomorrow".

Oh, and Edmonds and Shoreline are right next to each other. The difference is Edmonds is a little older demographic wise and A LOT whiter and has an actual downtown. Both would have better commuting to Seattle proper than Mountlake Terrace, and both have really good schools. Good luck either way.

[GraceKrispy]

yeah, that's the problem I'm having, unfortunately. Thanks for the feedback. We used to live in Mountlake Terrace (pretty close to I-5, so that's the second I'm thinking of) and also Edmonds, a long time ago. I remember not being able to get a place until we got up there, especially with our dog.

[baba_yaga]

As a landlord, given comparable applicants, I wouldn't rent to someone I haven't met in person. There's just too much demand out there right now to take on unnecessary risk.

But there are things that you can do from afar to make you more interesting to a landlord. You can enable your friend to offer a nonrefundable deposit for the landlord to hold the property and not show it to anyone else while they check you out and you make contact with them. If accepted, that deposit would become part of your security deposit. If the landlord doesn't already ask for it, you can offer to pay the last month's rent up front. Financial incentives are the best way to get the landlord's attention. These things show you are a serious renter.

And don't forget, you can always just ask "What can I do to get to the top of your applicant list?"

[tekniskagal]

@ baba_yaya - what if the potential rentee had a well documented, public Airbnb profile where you could check the comments that other property owners left about his/her stay? That would seem to me add some insight about the person you're dealing with (plus a rental history that goes beyond what you might see from looking up their credit or whatever)....

[amaiunmei]

Originally Posted by tekniskagal

@ baba_yaya - what if the potential rentee had a well documented, public Airbnb profile where you could check the comments that other property owners left about his/her stay? That would seem to me add some insight about the person you're dealing with (plus a rental history that goes beyond what you might see from looking up their credit or whatever)....

The issue isn't just the lack of presence. Right now, the rental market is pretty fierce in Seattle.

For example: I know of a couple who is looking to rent in Seattle right now. They went to see an apartment in the Wallingford area. There was an open house that started at 10 am this past Saturday; by 1 pm, the apartment already had 4 applications.

The real question is, why should the landlord choose your application over others who already have their checkbooks out?

[GraceKrispy]

Thanks for the advice, baba_yaga!

They went to see an apartment in the Wallingford area. There was an open house that started at 10 am this past Saturday; by 1 pm, the apartment already had 4 applications.

I had that experience the first time I lived in the Seattle area- over and over again. It does get frustrating.

[tekniskagal]

Originally Posted by amaiunmei

The issue isn't just the lack of presence. Right now, the rental market is pretty fierce in Seattle.

For example: I know of a couple who is looking to rent in Seattle right now. They went to see an apartment in the Wallingford area. There was an open house that started at 10 am this past Saturday; by 1 pm, the apartment already had 4 applications.

The real question is, why should the landlord choose your application over others who already have their checkbooks out?

What about a willingness/ability to pay rent in advance?

[baba_yaga]

Tekniskagal - Weekend rentals are not the same as a long-term rental. As other posters have said, there is high demand right now.

Be ready to apply immediately. Give the landlord financial incentives to pick you. Maintain a high level of communication. You will find a place.

[tekniskagal]

Originally Posted by baba_yaga

Tekniskagal - Weekend rentals are not the same as a long-term rental. As other posters have said, there is high demand right now.

Be ready to apply immediately. Give the landlord financial incentives to pick you. Maintain a high level of communication. You will find a place.

That's baba_yaga. Btw, do you know what the word baba means in yoruba? Anyhoo, this is sound practical advice that I love. Thanks