Many families across America choose to rent rather than own. While owning has advantages, renting has its own advantages as well. Renting a home places a lot of the maintenance on your landlord, but there are still some ways to find out which properties are better than others when it comes to renting a home. The St. Louis movers are here to help you find the right home to rent, and we've compiled a list of tips to keep in mind when searching for your next rental.
Find out what is included in the monthly rent. Some homes bill the tenant on top of the rental rate for garbage, water, sewer, and more. Verify what your rent breaks down to and what costs you will be liable for each month aside from the rent check. It is common for cable/internet and electricity to be paid by the tenant. Compare pricing and try to negotiate with where you end up based on the prices of surrounding or similar properties.
Visit the potential new house more than once. It's easy to overlook flaws when you are excited about the possibility of a new home. For this reason, we recommend that you frequent the property a few more times and make sure it is what you are looking for in a home. Walk through a few properties and find the one that best fits your needs.
Check out nearby options. Walk around the neighborhood of a home you like and see if other nearby homes are available for rent. If you really like a particular neighborhood, it certainly does not hurt to check out nearby options and see what else might be out there! Also, it doesn't hurt to check out the area you would potentially be living in. Are there parks, schools, and other family oriented landmarks, or is it more of industrial space? Consider your routine and what you want to be closely located near.
Talk to current tenants. Tenants are a more realistic source of information on a property vs. a landlord who is dead set on leasing a property asap. Find out what they love about the house and what they don't, and ask any questions you might have as far as noise, neighbors, and more.
Read the lease in its entirety before signing it. Read every word, don't just skim over it! Find out specific rules on pets, visitors, garbage days, and other things you will need to be aware of before locking yourself into a rental agreement for the next 12 months. Learn about what happens at the end of the lease and how much notice you need to provide if you intend to vacate.
Good luck finding your next St. Louis home!