Saving money for a down payment on a home is no easy feat, which is why I started looking into various ways to make sure that I had things sorted out like I should. I began working with a real estate agent to chat about what to do and how to start saving, and they explained how much I needed if I wanted to avoid private mortgage insurance, and when the market typically trended upwards. It was really neat for me to see everything I could do with the advice, and saving became easier after I had a clear goal. Find out more about real estate by reading this blog.
Cathy Frazier
Whether you are looking for your first apartment to rent or your second or third, you should know that you might be able to negotiate the rent with the landlord of the apartment complex you choose. Negotiating the rent is something that many people do not do, yet it actually is fairly common in this industry. If this is something you are interested in, here are some tips to help you negotiate rent as you search for an apartment to rent.
Look for the right apartment complexes
The first thing to understand is that if you want to negotiate on rent, you will need to look for the right apartment complexes. For example, if you think you will have the ability to negotiate on rent with an apartment that has a long waiting list of people who want to get in there, you are probably wrong. When there is a long waiting list, it may be nearly impossible to negotiate on rent. Instead, look for apartment complexes that have vacancies. When a landlord has vacancies that he or she cannot fill, the landlord might be more inclined to be willing to negotiate on rent.
Make yourself appear highly marketable and desirable
The second tip to consider is finding ways to present yourself as a marketable and desirable tenant. If you can make yourself appear like an excellent tenant, the landlord might be more inclined to accept your negotiations. Landlords want good tenants, yet good tenants are not easy to find. If you can show that you have a perfect payment history with your previous apartments and that you have a steady job, you might come across as an ideal tenant.
Offer an incentive the landlord cannot resist
Finally, you should consider offering the landlord an incentive he or she cannot resist. For example, if the landlord is willing to reduce the rent amount, you could offer to prepay your rent for a few months. Another good incentive is to offer to stay in the apartment for two or three years instead of just one year. Any type of incentive you offer may be enough to convince the landlord to negotiate on the price for your monthly rent.
These are three good ways to negotiate on an apartment complex. If you are currently looking for a unit to rent, you can learn more about available units by contacting a real estate agent or a property manager with a company like ABA Rental Properties Inc.