Questions To Ask The Landlord Before Renting His Apartment

Apartment hunting is not the easiest thing around. You may find places not suited to your tastes or those which do are not to your budget. Eventually, you may have to settle for something a little less than perfect or if you're lucky, you may just find a home you love. However, before you finalise on the apartment, there are a few questions you need to ask the landlord so that there is no reason for disagreement later on during the lease period. In fact, some of the points mentioned below may also be included in the agreement for your safety so that the landlord doesn't go back on his word.

• When will the unit be available for occupation? If it's ready to occupy and it's impractical for you to move in immediately, you may have to negotiate with the landlord so that you don't pay for unoccupied time.
• How much is the rent payable and when is it due every month? How much is the security deposit and is it fully refundable?
• Is there a penalty fee for late payment of the rent?
• What are the terms for renewing the lease?
• Are pets allowed and if not, would it be possible to have pets if you paid a pet deposit? If a pet-deposit policy is in place, is it refundable if there's no damage caused to be found when you move out?
• What are the conditions if you have to move out before the lease expires? Even if you may think you won't have to move out for a long time, it's better to keep your options safe and negotiate secure terms should you need to move out earlier than the expiry of the lease period.
• Are any utilities included in your agreement? What are typical bill amounts in different seasons?
• Are you allowed to share your unit with roommates and what is the policy on subletting the place?
• Can you paint the walls or make other decorating changes?
• Are you allowed to run a home business from your apartment?
• Who will be responsible for property maintenance?
• Who are your neighbours?
• How close is the nearest post office, grocery store, bank, restaurant and public transportation?

Asking these questions only avoids any cause for disagreement in the future between you and your landlord.

Sameer S Panjwani is the CEO of ChoiceOfHomes.com - Buy / Sell / Rent Homes Online

---

Top Tips for First Time Home Buyers

Advice to Help When You're Buying a HomeFirst time home... Read More

Make Money As A Slumlord

Be a slumlord? Okay, I got your attention, now the... Read More

The Bubble Effect

Turn on the TV at almost any time day or... Read More

Purchase Your First Home with Confidence

If you are making the transition from renter to homeowner,... Read More

Investment Real Estate: An Inexpensive Way To Get Started

If you are considering getting involved in investment real estate,... Read More

Inspecting Your New Home - 17 Areas You Must Inspect Before Taking Possession

Congratulations! You've made your decision; you've chosen your new home... Read More

Lease Purchasing Is The Perfect Home-Based Business

Some call it the 30 second commute. We call it... Read More

Realtors: Forget Your Address?

It's a large real estate agency, and the company depends... Read More

How Do I Bring Consulting Into My Lease Purchase Business

As you are making your cold calls on property, you... Read More

Secrets of Making Money from Real Estate - Part 5

Where to from here:One property is great, but It wont... Read More

11 Different Ways to Participate in The New Millennium Real State Boom

Many parts of the country are going through a real... Read More

Joint Ventures In Real Estate Development; So How Do They Work?

There are many reasons why you would consider joining with... Read More

Give Your Home A Timeless Feel

In the world of real estate, there is a huge... Read More

Maximizing Curb Appeal and First Impressions to Sell your Home

We all know that a home or property of any... Read More

How I Became a Real Estate Investor

Recently I closed on the sale of two homes. They... Read More

Dont Overpay for a House, Even in Todays Market

If there's one thing American investors love, it's an over-inflated... Read More

Dont be Tempted by We Buy Houses (Updated)

Do you want to sell your home right away? Don't... Read More

Buying Property in Portugal

Portugal has long been a popular choice for people, particularly... Read More

Ten Tips For Selling Your House

One of the biggest mistakes people make when selling a... Read More

Home Inspections or Home Warranty?

Homebuyers are a curious lot. They routinely ask thought-provoking questions.... Read More

Cant Rent a Work Zone

So you've picked up your first (or third, or tenth)... Read More

Buying New Construction...How Do I Begin?

The prospect of shopping for a new construction residence can... Read More

Real Estate: Choose a Realtor You Can Trust

Today's volatile real estate market involves complex laws and fluctuating... Read More

Realtors - Self Promote Your Way To Success

Okay, so we all can agree - listings are the... Read More

FSBO: For Sale By Owners Chapter One

She reached the phone on its second ring. "This is... Read More

Rental Properties: 10 Ways To Increase Income

What if you want better cash flow from your rental... Read More

Selling Your Home? A Warning About Attachments

Before you list you home for sale, determine what you... Read More

Foreclosure Home Deals

Did you know that you can save tens of thousands... Read More

What is a Home Inspection?

Any Sally and Sam Homebuyer can look at a home... Read More

Should You Accept A Full Purchase Offer For Your Note or Not?

You could be facing a dilemma when considering payout options... Read More

How To Build A Million Pound Property Portfolio

Looking to quickly build a million pound property portfolio? You... Read More

Condo-Hotels ? A New Second-Home Alternative to Time Shares

Condo-hotels have evolved as a better, more reliable second home... Read More

Essential Buyer?s Guide for Overseas Real Estate

It's been said many a time that overseas real estate... Read More