How to Negotiate Your Monthly Rent

When it comes time to find a new place to live, and you don’t have a ton of extra money to be spending on rent, there are some things that you can do to lower how much you pay monthly. Living in Baton Rouge can be affordable, and you can make it even more so if you know how to bargain with a landlord or property management company. With a little bit of patience, negotiating, and a lot of research, you can find the place that is just right for you, without breaking the bank.

Before it is time to move, it’s a good idea to start looking for places online. Although you might not be moving for a while, it’s important to have an idea of what is on the market, and get a feel for the pricing of things. Some neighborhoods are going to be completely out of your price range, and it’s a good idea to find that out before you start your physical house hunt. Once you’ve found the right neighborhood for you, it is important that you make sure the price being offered isn’t overinflated. Looking at comparable neighborhoods in the area can never hurt. Once you have narrowed down your search, it is time to go talk to the landlord. Right off the bat there are a few thing that can haggle your way down to a decent price. First, sometimes if you put in for a longer lease, maybe instead of a year you want to do two years, landlords will give you a slight discount. Also, talk to your landlord about getting a discount for paying a few months up front. This benefits them in that they know you are set, so they don’t have to worry about hunting you down for your rent each month. One thing that might help, if you have the skills, is to offer to help your landlord out. If you are handy, offer to help out with the little things on the grounds. It’s a “you scratch my back I’ll scratch yours” kind of thing. If you help them out so they don’t have to hire an outside contractor, they'll probably give you a discount on your rent. Cha-ching. Along with working with your landlord to figure out the price that is right, there are some minor things you can do. When looking into places to love, make sure to compare the cost of rent with the amenities. Some places might cost more monthly, but with all of the benefits that they offer they could actually be costing you less monthly. And then there are the drastic measures. One major thing to do is to get a roommate. Although this is not desirable for most people, it is a way to spend half, or sometimes even less than half, of what you would normally pay monthly. Then, if you can, walking, using public transportation, or riding your bike can save you tons in gas. Not having to pay for gas or upkeep on your car can save tons and tons of money. And not only is it saving your wallet, it’s also saving the planet. How could you possibly go wrong with that? Rent is a necessary evil in this world, and there is pretty much no getting around it. But with a good head on your shoulders and an eye out for the right deal, you can find exactly what you’re looking for without breaking the bank.