Home Renters Guide

Affordable Home and Apartment Listings Here www.homerentalonline.com

By: Ronald Hart

Real Estate Leasing Agent

http://homerentalonline.com/?utm_source=Renters-guide-apartment-rental-ebook-1&utm_medium=ebook-1&utm_campaign=ebook-lead-distribution


Table Of Contents Contents Table Of Contents ......................................................................................................................................... 1

Should I Buy A Home or Rent An Apartment .............................................................................................. 3

What It Takes To Be A Great Tenant ........................................................................................................... 5

Six Reasons For Picking Out Serviced Apartments ...................................................................................... 6

How to Get Approved For an Apartment Even With a Criminal Record ..................................................... 8

Tips For Renters The Importance of a Walk Through Inventory Punch List ............................................. 10

Why Is Tenant Screening So Important? .................................................................................................... 12

Benefits to Live in Furnished Apartment .................................................................................................... 13

Types of Apartment Leases ........................................................................................................................ 14

Is My Rental History Important .................................................................................................................. 16

Get Out of Your Apartment Lease .............................................................................................................. 17

How to Search For Your Next Apartment .................................................................................................. 19

Ask These Questions Before You Move in Your Next Apartment ............................................................ 21

Rent an Apartment with a Broken Lease .................................................................................................... 22

Get To Know Your New Neighborhood ..................................................................................................... 24



Should I Buy A Home or Rent An Apartment

How often do we hear the renting for buying question. Which one is better for our own personal

situation? The answer will really depend on you and what your searching for at the time. First of

all, a good start will be to understand whats costs you will undertake with both renting and

buying your own place. Read more to find out what kind of budget you might need for either

situation.

The Upfront Costs: Buying and Renting

The biggest differenct between both cases will be the amount of money you will have to invest

upfront when you do purchase a home. And renting an apartment usually only has a few upfront

minimal fees. Usually you are only responsible for an application fee, security deposit, and an

adiminstration fee.

This usually results small upfront fees that many people can afford. And remember that if you

treat your place with respect and leave it in the condition which you found it, you usually will

receive it back in full. So in retrospect the fees are somewhat cheap.

However, when you are purchasing a home you will find out that there are many more

expenses. Remember that when you begin the process you will be responsible for earnest

money, a large down payment in most cases, closing costs, and of course appraisals,

inspections, and mortgage application fees.



Normally the fees will revolve aroundt he price you pay for the home. For example, if the price of

the home is $200,000, you might be responsible for the following:

Down payment (20%) $40,000

Inspection $300-$500

Closing Costs: $6000

And as you can see these fees sure do add up quickly. The downpayment can vary greatly

depending on several different factors. And you might be able to negotiate some of these fees.

Expenses After Your Move In

So as you can see that buying a home requires much more money upfront than renting

downtown Houston apartments . Remember that a renter won’t incur as many expenses after

the move in either. Homeowners must also pay the following:

Property Taxes



Homeowners Insurance

Maintenance

HOA Fees

What It Takes To Be A Great Tenant

When your renting an apartment home, you want to be sure that you act as a great tennt but

also a good neighbor as well. And how do you really know that your are the good tenant in your

apartment building. Of course we all should know what good manners are when we are

communicating with our neighbors. And if you want to be a model tenant, then there are some

things you can do. Read on to find out some tips that can help you be that awesome apartment

renter.

Pay, Pay, Pay

The number one factor that really will determine whether you are considered a good tenant, is

whether you pay your rent when its due. No matter how nice of a person you are, if you don’t

give your rent check to the landlord or leasing office on time, you will be looked upon in a poor

light. However, if you do pay your money on time each month, you will be seen as a responsible



tenant. Don’t worry about paying early, just make sure they get their money when they are

supposed too. If you are having money problems, be sure you approach the management office

and tell them your situation.

Also you will need to give the appropriate notice when you decide that you will not be renewing

your apartment lease. Remember that your unit will need to be rented again and the manager

will appreciate this.

Read Your Lease

Don’t be one of those tenants who brings in a large dog or installs a satellite dish on the

balcony. Each apartment community will have their own set of rules so read your lease in its

entirety. Now is the time to read up about the rules regarding pets and grills and satellite dishes

on your balcony.

Also read the clauses about breaking your lease. Most communities will have sort of penalty

that you will need to pay in advance if you decide to go this route.

State Whats On Your Mind

Don’t hold back your opinions. If you have a complaint, speak up early and often. There is a

better chance at having your situation resolved if you communicate it as early as possible.

Six Reasons For Picking Out Serviced Apartments

When it involves accommodation, there are a volume of buzz phrases in the global lodging

trade. One of the most common a person getting serviced apartments. Through the previous

two many years, serviced apartments have gained huge popularity. These are the final in

comfort and offer you a lot more house and liberty when traveling for the more time interval.



You will find quite a few good reasons why you need to choose serviced apartments around a

resort. Provided under are some from the key factors.

1. A Lot More House

On common, they provide at the least 30% additional room than a typical resort room. They

come which has a separate cooking area location and a very well-equipped located house. This

implies that there is certainly enough room for you personally to function the way you desire to.

2. Price tag-successful accommodation

Serviced apartments offer exceptional significance for funds. Wireless internet prices are

generally included within the price tag and you'll find no hidden extras for instance area service

charges, drinks through the mini-bar, and so forth. This would make it very simple for a traveler

to help keep inside price range. Also, if you might be organizing to stay for a lot more than 7

nights, it's possible you'll also have the opportunity to benefit from a diminished price for each

night time. Being a organization traveler, you can save money by hosting meetings and

conferences inside your house in place of making preparations to hire a separate assembly

area.

If you will be over a vacation together with your family and youngsters, you are able to avoid

pricey lunch and dinner charges by cooking your own meals employing the kitchen and

establishments offered inside your apartment.



a few. Way Of Life Strengths

A hotel space can cramp your way of living, but an condo allows you to obtain your house. No

matter if you may have visitors coming in excess of or have meetings or functions, it gives

separate spaces for sleeping, located, operating, cooking and consuming.

4. Enjoyment

When residing away from dwelling, most people today search for that services that may keep

them engaged. Suitable means of conversation is another point that they must hold in contact

with loved ones users, buddies and colleagues. Most serviced apartments offer you superb

conversation and enjoyment amenities for example substantial screen TELLY, cable TV,

residence theatre process, broadband internet connection and direct dial telephones. This offers

the traveler the liberty to finish his assignments, check his mails and take it easy within a

property away from property.

How to Get Approved For an Apartment Even With a Criminal Record

One of the most frustrating episodes ones can encounter is a denial of housing. Apartment

complexes, which in reality are run by real estate management firms, use a number of factors to

determine who should rent and who should not. One of the most common factors that they use

is criminal background check. A criminal history can be one of the greatest huddles one can

ever come across in the process of renting an apartment.

The reason apartment communities request a criminal background check is first of all for the

safety of the overall community. There is a general consensus that people with violent pasts are

bound to fall back into their previous destructive habits. The concept of history repeats itself



seems to be a prevailing belief in many places when it comes to criminal history and nowhere

more so than in apartment leasing offices.

Another reason why apartment leasing offices conduct a criminal background check is so as to

create the appearance of safety in the community and in so doing have the justification to

charge more for rent. If a neighborhood or apartment housing community has a high level of

crime, then tenants will not want to renew their leases and this means that there will be more

housing units which are vacant and which the management has to fill (or risk being censored by

the owner). The more housing units are vacant in an apartment community the more it hurts the

management bottom line because this drives down the rent.

When conducting criminal background checks, apartments normally concentrate on felony

convictions. Misdemeanor crimes which are only punishable by fines are generally not a

concern. If you have a misdemeanor, you should not be concerned but if it is a felony you may

get a denial.

There are two main ways to get an apartment approval if you have a criminal record. The first

one is to check the nature of your offense and see whether you received what is called a

deferred adjudication. This is a probation granted to first time offenders and is also known as

community supervision. If you were convicted of a misdemeanor, and got probation, you can go

to the county clerk's office and request for what is called a court deposition. This is a print-out

that shows the offense, the court that heard the case, and the judgment that was rendered and

the fact that you have deferred adjudication. The printout also states that you have successfully



completed the community service without any other incidences and that you should not be

discriminated against when it comes to services. You can take a copy of this document to an

apartment manager and in most cases they will approve you.

Another way to get an apartment is to get an expungement. This is the sealing of your criminal

records and can be done depending on whether you're eligible. This is an excellent tool

regarding how to get an apartment even with an existing criminal record and bad credit and you

can get it at.

Tips For Renters The Importance of a Walk Through Inventory Punch List

After you find a home, apartment, or condo to rent and sign the paperwork to move in, it is time

to relax and enjoy yourself after the hard work of the move. But don't be too quick to arrange

that bubble bath or pop the champagne in celebration. First of all you should take an inventory

of the condition of the premises, document it, and get your landlord to sign off on the description

or “punch list" of items that might be in disrepair. Otherwise in a year or two when you get ready

to move out you might be asked to forfeit your security deposit for problems that were already

there when you moved in and are really not your responsibility.

Here's how it works. When you rent a car at the airport, for example, most car rental agencies

first do what they call a “walk-around" of the vehicle. They literally walk around it with a

clipboard in hand and jot down notes related to the condition of the car. Maybe it has a ding in

the door, a crack in the windshield, or only half as much gasoline as it is supposed to have in

the tank. This process protects both the renter and the car rental company, because it ensures

that you don't pay for scratches or upholstery stains caused by the last person to use the car.



Similarly, if you return the car with a bashed bumper and the walk-around report shows that the

bumper was fine when you drove off the lot, the rental company has evidence and can charge

you to fix it.

The same thing applies to renting a home, and it is a great idea to ensure fairness to everyone

involved. Realtors who specialize in rentals and leases even have standardized move-in forms

that both the renter and the landlord sign and date. They list all items and their current condition

before you move into a place, so that you are not held responsible for damage to the rental that

was done before you signed the lease. If your new landlord doesn't have one of these move-in

forms, you should ask him or her to get one from a neighborhood real estate office. Any friendly

real estate broker will likely give you a photocopied form to use, just to win your business so that

if you decide to rent or buy in the future you'll give them a call.

But if you can't get an official form, just make your own. Dedicate one page of a legal pad to

each room in the house, and don't forget to include closets, attics, basements, balconies, and

other out-of-the-way spaces. Go through each room with the landlord and jot down notes about

any telltale stains, nail holes, broken fixtures, leaky faucets, missing doorknobs, scuffed

hardwoods, non-working appliances, or other items of interest. Both of you agree to it, sign it,

date it, and keep a copy. When it's time to move out just compare the condition of the home to

the move-in description. You are never legally responsible for normal wear and tear, but

significant problems can result in ugly misunderstandings. Having a good move-in inventory

solves those kinds of problems long before they have a chance to happen and is a win-win for

both renters and landlords.



Why Is Tenant Screening So Important?

I have been a landlord for 15 years and when I talk to my friends who are also land lords I can

see that they don't have the experience which I have gained during my career. They are often

reckless and usually rent their properties to the first tenant who is willing to pay the rent they set.

They never think of performing any checks on them to verify if they earn enough or whether they

have a bad credit. These are just a few minor financial issues when it comes to more severe

subjects. Imagine that your tenant is criminal who is going to do his shady business in your

apartment. For example he would be dealing drugs or prostitute herself there.

Doesn't sound too good, does it? These are the reasons why should always learn as much

about the prospective tenant as possible. You should meet him in person and perform a simple

interview to find out what does he do for living? Is he a student? Does he smoke? Does he have

a pet? Does he look like a responsible person? What is important, is to estimate his age. When

you know it, you will know what to expect. The younger the person is, the more problems you

will have, that's just the way it is and I didn't make it up, I just know it from my experience.

Second thing which should be done is a tenant screening. However, you should only conduct it

if you're satisfied with the interview and just want to check if there's something what the

potential tenant is hiding. If you know that you will not rent the apartment to him after the short

chat, there is no need in wasting money for tenant screening which can bring much more shady

details of the person's life.

Such verification can be done online using a special website. You will be required to give the

person's name and possibly a few more details in order to track the person more accurately.



The service will perform depending on the plan you choose the following checks: SSN

Validation, Social Security Death Index Check, OFAC/Patriot Act Search, Evictions,

Bankruptcies, Liens & Judgments, Criminal Records Search, See Criminal Coverage Areas,

Sex Offender Search, Credit Check and even previous addresses.

If you haven't noticed anything suspicious during the interview and you are fully content with you

found using the tenant screening but you feel that there something wrong, then you can ask the

person for a contact to his previous landlords. Talking to them can also bring you a lot of

interesting and shady details about the prospective tenant.

Benefits to Live in Furnished Apartment

We are worried about so many things especially about money, job, occupation & residence. You

are so much anxious with work and you have to take many issues to tackle such problems. Life

becomes so laborious with all the hurly-burly. At last, you have a choice of a place in which to

live happily. These are “Furnished Apartments". There are many available furnished apartments

in the city where you can feel more comfort and ease like you are at home. As a working

person, you need this at the end of each day for superior and vigorous life. Your duty to search

for one that suits your resources so that you can enjoy the best of both your time and money.

Firstly, it is too much work to purchase new furniture and other things you might need to perform

your day-to-day activities. To rent these apartments with a complete set of furniture may cost

more, but the comfort and ease you want to enjoy, have a more importance. Imagine how

exhausting it is to choose and to bring those bits and pieces inside your apartment. Then you

move towards the furnished apartments, you have no need to worry about these accessories.



Another arduous part of moving into an unfurnished apartment is hiring people to move-a-home-

service and purchase new set of furniture to fit at your new location. This will be exhausting,

worrying and loss of time. However, when you move to a furnished apartment, you will only

think to pay your rent.

Furnished apartments are best for those people who are staying in a place for a very short time.

For example, businesspersons who have to travel to a certain city and stay there for a month or

two would definitely find it impractical to purchase furniture for a very short stay.

Another example of people who will get advantages greatly from furnished apartments is those

who are on an extended vacation and would not want to expend too much on a hotel room.

When you select a furnished apartment, make sure that its location is reachable to all markets,

business centers, terminals, airport and other important places of city.

If you are a person having a job, which requires you to move regularly, then you will have to

seek out for fully furnished apartment, as this is the best solution for you. You do not have to

shift your furniture all the time, where ever, you are moving to elsewhere. You also do not have

to worry about maintenance as it is under the house owner's liability. If anything goes wrong in

that apartment, you can call up the owner so that he can resolve the problem for you.

Types of Apartment Leases

There are different types of apartment leases for different types of needs. Its best to determine

what your needs are and then find out what communities in the area have to offer you. Some

tenants are looking for a month to month lease, while other may want to sign something for well



over a year. Read on to find out the specific details of some types of leases and figure out which

one will fit your needs.

A Fixed Length

The most common type of lease that most tenants sign is usually for 12 months. However, 13

month leases have become much more common as of late. If your dealing with a private

landlord, they all pretty much require a 12 month lease. This term is usually great for both

parties and provides the owner with a tenant who will be staying for a year, and a tenant will

also have a fixed lease term. But with a longer lease terms, there are some disadvantages to

the rent. For one, if you want to leave early, you may have to pay a significant penalty upfront.

And you must also provide notice that you will be moving out.

Be sure you check your lease contract to determine how many days you must give in advance.

Also, when you are ready to sign, make sure you understand and know the other tidbits about

an apartment lease so you can be prepared.

The Monthly Lease

Many renters today just need a lease that is month to month, or even as little as 3 months. This

offers tenants much more convenience and usually just requires a short notice (a thirty day

notice may be all that is necessary). Also month to month leases automatically renew in many

apartment lease agreements.



But when you do sign a lease of this length, be prepared that you will may a significant amount

more than you would have if you signed a lease with a term of a year or more. Also think about

how long you will be staying in the city

Is My Rental History Important

Your rental history will follow you wherever you go. Unless you have a landlord who is not

interested in getting your social security number, your credit report will show just how

responsible you are. Do you make your payments on time, or are you consistently late?

Bad rental history can prevent you from living where you want to, and having a great rental

history will allow you to rent just about anywhere you like. So remember, its always best to pay

rent on time.

What Will Appear On Your Rental History

our entire rental history will be included on your credit report. If you have ever broken a lease or

been evicted from the property in question, this will appear. When you apply at a future

property, your landlord will be able to see everything with your social security number.

Your landlords will get an opportunity to show others what type of renter you were. Many

landlords will call previous ones and ask what kind of renter you where. If your check was ever

returned for non-sufficient funds or you consistently paid your rent late, landlords will interested

to know.



Other items might include apartment damage or any illegal acts that were committed on the

property.

Correct Bad Rental History

Now if you have some items on your rental history that don’t make you look good, you can make

some positive changes. Many times a landlord will allow a co-signer to be apart of the lease, or

they can also request a larger downpayment.

If you still don’t have any luck, you might need to look elsewhere. Maybe you can rent a room in

a house, or you can look on Craigslist for smaller listings. These sorts of landlords are too picky.

Many times if you pay the amount you owe for a judgement or broken lease, future landlords will

be willing to work with you. Many are open to payment plans, etc.

I Don't Have Any Rental History

Although some landlords require rental history. There are usually plenty of places that will work

with you. Its just a matter of time before you find a landlord willing to work with you.

Get Out of Your Apartment Lease



Do you need to get out of your apartment home fast. If you signed a lease you may have a hard

time doing this free of charge. After all, a lease is a binding contract between you and the

landlord, and if you try to leave on your own terms, you may find out that your bad dream has

just begun.

If you signed an apartment lease then your landlord probably has your social security number.

And if you want to continue to have good credit, then you should probably try and negotiate a

buyout of your lease. Read on to discover the right way to get out of your lease. And what can

happen to you if you just leave.

Don’t Just Leave

If you leave in the middle of the night you can expect your landlord to take action. If you have a

responsible landlord he probably will report this infraction to the three credit bureaus. If you

even want to rent an apartment home in the near future, you probably will be denied. Not only

will a broken lease appear on your credit report, your credit score will decline. And remember

that security deposit you paid for when your first moved in, you can kiss that goodbye

Read Your Lease Agreement

All lease agreements will allow your to leave your apartment home on good terms. If you have

not read your apartment contract thoroughly, not is the time. There should be a clause regarding

payment for breaking your lease. Usually this is around 2 months in advance. If you cannot pay



the amount all is not lost. Your landlord might be willing to work out a payment plan with you.

Make sure you get this in writing.

Once you have paid off the entire amount. Then you responsibility to your landlord has ended.

What if Your Apartment Community Won’t Negotiate

This can be a really big problem, especially if you are short on funds. You can try calling the

corporate office if you live in apartments . But if your dealing directly with the owner, you might

want to try and borrow the money from family or friends. You should have a certain amount of

time to come up with the funds.

How to Search For Your Next Apartment

Are you all set to tour apartments that you want to consider. Many people simply drive around

and look for their next home. Although you may find your next apartment home in this manner,

its probably not the most efficient exercise in apartment finding today. Especially if you live in a

large city like Dallas or Houston, there are many smaller neighborhoods within the city. There

might be 40 or 50 communities within a small dense area. So read on how to make your

apartment search an effective one.

Search Home rental Online.com



If your searching for apartments, then you will have an abundance of apartments to choose from

in a 3 or 4 mile radius. Start by writing down your needs on a piece of paper. Start with your

price range, number of bedrooms, and your basic necessities. Don’t be too worried about

amenities and features.

Use the Internet and type in “HomeRentalOnline.com” in the search browser. You will see a

variety of apartment listings to choose from. Some websites are easy to use, while others are

more difficult and require that you fill out a form. A good site will offer photos, pricing, and

locations. You may even find areas in neighborhoods you were not familiar with.

Pick up Apartment Book

If you go to a local grocery store, you should be able to pick up a local apartment book. If you

don’t have access to the Internet and need a hard copy, this should do the trick. But as more

and more people have smart phones and can access the Internet, the book has declined in

usage. But its nice to have something that you can hold in your hands.

Contact the Apartments Before You Tour

Remember that the availability and pricing of apartment homes will change on a daily basis. So

its best if you contact the leasing agents before you tour. It makes no sense to drive around if

the apartment community in question has no availability.

And always ask about pricing including application fees, administrative fees, and an deposits.

Many times apartments will offer you another specials after you have toured.



Ask These Questions Before You Move in Your Next Apartment

When your considering renting your next apartment home, there is a list of questions that you

probably will want to ask. Its very important to know what you can expect from your next

apartment home. And asking these questions will help you gain a better understanding of what

services you will be receiving. Here are just a few questions you might want to consider before

you sign off on your next apartment lease.

Who Handles the Maintenance

Each apartment community handles maintenance. Some apartment communities will repair

everything that is not normal wear and tear. Should this be in writing or is verbal notice ok?

Some larger apartment complexes will have onsite maintenance while others will contract the

service out. And its very important to ask how long things will take to get repaired.

Additional Monthly Expenses

Of course you will have to pay rent on a monthly basis. But there may be other monthly fees

that you will be responsible for too. Many apartment communities are not charging monthly fees

for your pet. Also known as pet rent, this can be $15 or $20. And remember that this is in

addition to your pet deposit. Some apartment communities will also charge you a portion for

your bills. Make sure you understand all the costs of renting your apartment home.



Can I Make any Interior Decorating Changes

Check will your apartment home to discern what kind of interior changes you may make. For

example, some apartment communities will allow you do paint the walls or hang photos. If this is

important to you, see if you will be assessed any fees after you move out. Many apartment

communities will allow you to make changes as long as you change them back. So if you paint a

wall, be sure and change it back to its original color.

Where Can I Do My Shopping

One of the most important questions you can ask is where you will shop. The leasing agents or

landlord should be able to tell you where to buy groceries, purchase prescriptions, and buy gas.

Rent an Apartment with a Broken Lease

If you have a broken lease and are trying to rent a new apartment home, you may have some

difficulty. Broken leases are difficult to get around and do present certain issues and problems.

However, you still will be able to rent an apartment or home. Its just a matter of knowing where

to look and who to speak with. There are a few simple solutions and techniques you can use in

order to lease your next apartment home. Read more to find out some methods that you can

use today.

Pay it Off



It you can afford to, paying off your broken lease is the easiest solution. Almost all apartment

homes will accept your application if you pay off your broken lease. If you fail to pay it off they

may be hesitant to rent to you. They believe that you would simply “break it” again. If your not

sure who to contact or how to pay it off, just call the apartment community and ask to speak with

the manager. They should be able to direct you to the right person. In many cases they will

accept less than the actual amount. Trying to negotiate a lower amount may work to. After you

pay of the broken lease amount, the management company should report it to the three credit

bureaus.

Some Apartments do Accept Broken Leases

Some apartments will even accept broken leases. Its just a matter of finding them. There are a

couple different methods you can use. You can try and contact an apartment locator. They

should be aware of broken lease properties. This can save you a lot of time. Or you can try and

searching on the Internet for broken lease apartment homes in your city. It can be quite difficult

to search on your own. So call ahead and be sure they will accept you. Calling an apartment

finder is the best method.

Rent a Private Home

There are probably a lot of private listings for apartments and homes for rent that won’t conduct

a full background check. You might want to drive around the area your interested in and look for

“for rent” signs. Or you could check in sites like Craigslist.com.



Get To Know Your New Neighborhood

When you first move into your new apartment home, getting to know your neighborhood will

probably will be on the top of your list. Here are a few tips that will assist you in getting more

comfortable with your immediate surroundings. You will fit in in no time.

Community Newspapers

Most communities will have a local newspaper that is discusses the coming and goings of what

is happening in your area today. And its usually free. Whether its current events, business,

events, or entertainment, chances are its in the paper. You might read about a local restaurant

or pub that just opened for business two streets down. Or maybe there will be an article about

people like you and what newcomers to the area can do for fun. If you read into these papers

weekly, chances are you will find friends and other activities to occupy your free time.

Where is Traffic

Chances are the first items of business will be to locate routes to your office, school, gym, etc.

Drive around the neighborhood and keep a close eye on what you see. Normally in a bigger city

you may see construction, delays, or maybe something new and exciting. Keep your eyes

peeled, you never know what you may come across next.

Public Services



Its always a good idea to find our where the local police and fire departments are located. In

case of a local emergency, you may need directions to one of these important places. Also this

is a good time to find your local grocery store, gas station, and dry cleaning facilities.

The Neighbors

Nothing can travel faster than word of mouth. Get out in the neighborhood and start saying hello

to others in your gym or meeting halls. Where do all the locals get together? You can also log

on the Internet and find a list of places quickly. Are there clubs that you could join or some sort

of community event that is planned?

Take a Walk

If you live in a walkable section of town start strolling the streets. Its amazing what you might come across.



Resources

FREE Home Listings In Your Area. www.homerentalonline.com


http://www.homerentalonline.com/

http://www.homerentalonline.com/

Home Renters Guide

Documents

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