Housing questions

LizzyTish88

A question to those who are living on your own or with your SO, basically not living with parents anymore. BF and I are going to be moving in together soon. We have been talking about it for a while and just wanted to wait until I finished school and was working full time so that we can afford to live on our own. I am finishing school in December, so we are starting to look around now for places. I work right now 24 hours a week, and the place I am at, I can work 40 hours, I just don't because of school. So I know that I will have a job in December.

So my question to you ladies is how did you start the process of looking for places? I know that you need to establish a budget and expenses, but looking for actual places. Did you use the newspaper? Classifieds? Any other form? What do you do if the place wants references and you have never lived out on your own?

I am just starting this process with BF but I don't want us going into this blindly. Any help would be greatly appreciated. TIA.

PaigeMcC

We looked in the newspaper...but it was pretty useless.  The best thing I found was online.  We used Kijiji (iunno if y'all have that...it's like craigslist but way better!) and also contacted some rental agencies in town to see if they had anything.  

Just be warned - if it looks to good to be true it probably is.  Don't let yourself get scammed.  You should be able to look inside the house, ask any questions you need to and get a lease agreement before any money is exchanged.  

deburnin

I'm assuming since you asked about references, you're looking for an apartment. The apartment we lived in was in a college town and mostly students lived there so no references were needed.

For the house, we figured out how much we would be able to afford as a monthly payment, with money for extras, and then we looked at everything that came up in our price range. We saw a lot of crummy houses which made the one we bought look like a palace. We also didn't look at anything outside of our price range (except for one that's price was incorrect in the newspaper's homefinder).

Starlight Kel

Well I still live at home but have lived in an apt and also helped a friend find a place.  If you are moving in DEC I'd say starting to look now is a fine idea.  There are SO many places!  I would look online at rental sites and newspapers and drive around.  I'd also go ahead and call places you like and get an idea what they have open or will have open. 

When my friend was getting an apt. for the first time she got an affidavit saying that she paid who she lived with rent every month.  I'd say they will want something like that or just personal references.  It's best to call and tell them it will be your first apt and see what they have to say.  Good luck, and congrats on being done with school!

CASK85

I am a craigslist addict. I have found every apartment I have lived in on CL. I find that rental companies can be a pain in the butt b/c they tend not to show you the places you say you want to see (for example: my friend is relocating to chicago and we looked at places with a guy from such a company -- he kept showing us places outside her budget range. . . they just want the commission). 

As for references, my first apartment was when I was in college and the landlords were used to renting to college kids (parents may have had to cosign?), and since things went well with that apartment I just used them as my reference when I relocated to Chicago. I'm not sure how you start "cold" in other types of situations.

loopy82

This will be coming from my experience working in property management and not from a personal perspective as I have never searched out somewhere to rent.

There are a number of websites that list out rental properties, such as rent.com, apartments.com, craigslist (some large companies post here for the fact that it is free advertising.) I don't know if they have them out in MA but around here in all the grocery store entries/exits there are usually stands with rental magazines. Newspapers would be a good place to look, as that would most likely have up to date current pricing. Always call/email and ask if they have any current rent specials. Something to keep in mind is that not all apartment websites or rental sites have up to date pricing. Since MA gets snow and cold in the winter, it may be like MN in that many people are not moving due to the weather and places may be more inclined to be offering rent specials on open units trying to entice people to move. There are also websites like apartmentratings.com where current and past tenants share feedback on the property.

As far as for past rental experience everywhere is different. Did you ever live in a college dorm? Some places will accept that for a rental reference. When you start calling places to set up appointments ask them what their requirements are. Most places will like check your past rental history, credit, employment, as well as do a background check.  Does your BF have past rental history?  What I have dealt with is that some places require rental history, some people will just go off of credit score and employment.

ETA: If neither you or your BF have past rental history some places may require a co-signer.

forthepocket

We used Craigslist when we were ready to move in together. And like Paige said you should be able to schedule a viewing of the place and ask questions before they ask you to pay anything. Once you've decided you want the place an application fee which is generally 30 to 35 dollars for each applicant will be charged when you apply for the apartment/house. It shouldn't be too much more than that. When we applied for a place they wanted to see the last 3 check stubs so you may want to make sure you've gotten at least 3 paychecks of working full time before you apply for a place. And of course consider the deposits and stuff. Most importantly talk to your boyfriend about who will pay for what. Will you split all costs down the middle? Does one of you make more than the other? If its significantly more you may want to split rent/bills into a percentage to avoid one preson always being stressed to come up with the money for bills. Also read over your lease very carefully when you sign. Nothing is written in stone. If you see something that concerns you talk to the landlord/realtor about it and most likely it can be changed to be mutually beneficial. Don't just bend over and sign something you're not happy with. You will be the one that has to live with it for the next year. Other than that apartment/house hunting can be fun! Hope you find what you're looking for!

Blue & White

Boyfriend had a list of places that gave employees where he works a discount, I searched online.  He went in to go on tours, whatnot.  He didn't have a problem not having lived on his own before (I had references, though..) - but he also makes substantially more than 3x the rent...so they weren't that worried about him, I don't think

PaigeMcC

Also, ask for references from them.  I know when we were looking we got references from a few landlords and ruled out a few places based on what former tenants told us (like someone didn't come fix a broken shower for 3 days...NO SHOWER FOR 3 DAYS!! We did not live there.)

LizzyTish88

Thank you all so much! I know there is so much to think about which is why I wanted to make sure that I don't go into this blindly. I have lived in a dorm before, at two different colleges, so maybe that will be helpful. BF has no rental history, but he does pay his mom rent every month. He had terrible credit from high school when he was young and dumb, as he says, but he just bought a car and is working on making his credit up. It is working and it is getting better slowly but surely.

He makes a lot more than I do, but we were thinking about splitting thing down the middle. I will talk to him to see what he thinks about splitting it more evenly to fit our budgets. I also know then when this place hires me full-time, I am getting a pay raise so I am just going by what I get paid at my rate, when I work 40 hours, leaving money left for extras.

We would rather get a house than an apartment, but will get an apartment if there are no houses. We have an area in mind that we love and want to stay close to, because we like the area and because we work close to it. I have been looking in the newspaper and on craigslist, but want to be able to sit down and talk to BF in a more serious conversation about it.

Thanks again for all your input, you ladies are the best!

SeaTea02

You can kind of use this to find a place, but I reccomend it to see reviews on apartment comnplexes.

apartmentratings.com

Elle1036

Start by exploring the area you want to live in.  Just drive around and see if anything catches your eye.  Most of the apartments I've lived in, I've found by just seeing them one day and remembering them.  Remember the name of the complex and look it up online.  You can also check apartmentguide.com or apartmentratings.com to see what other people have said about it (take those resident reviews with a grain of salt, though.  Usually, if somebody takes the time to go online and write a review, it's because they aren't happy.  A place that has several negative reviews could still have many happy, quiet residents).

I just saw that you would prefer a house to an apartment.  Again, start by driving around in the area.  You will be amazed at how many "for lease" signs in yards you see.  It's one of those things you don't notice until you start looking for it.  A lot of rental houses will have flyers you can take, too.  Also, check out the website for your city's association of realtors.  They list houses for rent, not just sale, on there, too.

As far as the reference thing, you should be fine as long as you have verifiable income and a clear background.  If your boyfriend's credit becomes a problem, will one of your parents be willing to co-sign with you? 

Hope this helps!

calindi

I highly recommend getting a Realtor.  Yes, they do rentals as well as buying/selling a home.  I only had 3 days to identify a place to move and sign a lease, so it was imperative that someone do the legwork for me.  I gave her my parameters (2 bed, 1.5-2 bath, backyard preferred or big porch, dishwasher, washer/dryer, within 3 miles of BF's school in this general vicinity, parking for 2 cars, no more than $X per month).  We looked at over 20 places in two days, and every single one fit my basic requirements.  It was a HUGE time saver, and ultimately the place we found wasn't in a neighborhood where I had planned on looking, but is absolutely perfect for us.  Especially with homes, they don't often put them on the websites like rent.com or apartments.com, though you might have some luck with craigslist.  Just be sure to do some research on tenant rights in Boston, what a lease should entail and what provisions might be illegal (like any wording about what qualifies them to withhold the deposit, etc.).  Be sure to have it spelled out in the lease what is required of both them and you. 

marleylikeair

Hmm. I've found every apartment I've ever lived in on craigslist. My experiences were all in NYC, and I imagine Boston would be similar. (Are you right in Boston?)It's no fun looking for a rental in a big city--you'll probably run into some jerky agents and brokers--but if you're persistent, you can find great places. When my ex and I looked in NYC last year, we found a place in Brooklyn that didn't charge an application fee or credit check fee, and no broker fee either. We dealt mainly with the landlord's rental agent (who was weird, but a nice guy). We loved the place, too. It was huge for the money and nicely renovated. So if you're looking to save money, it can be done! From what I hear, using a broker, if it's the right one, can be a great option if you're willing to pay the fee. You should definitely do a lot of asking around to see what standard fees are in your area, though.

Tips...
-Don't bother with agents/brokers who talk so fast you can't get a word in.
-Don't let anyone scare you or try to tell you that "this is the best you're going to find for the money."
-Get EVERYTHING in writing. But be tactful--you don't want the landlord to think you don't trust them (even though you don't, because you don't know them!).
-Know what your landlord expects of you in order to get your full deposit back when you move out. Example--sometimes they want everything spotlessly clean, sometimes as long as all your stuff is out, they don't care.
-Ideally, don't sign a lease unless both you and your BF can sign together. Usually when they only want one person on the lease, it's because they want the option to turn over the apartment for more money if the lease holder decides to leave, rather than letting the other person stay and get a roommate. That's what happened to my ex, even though I did everything I could from day one to convince the landlord to keep him on. It sucked.
-Listen to your gut. If you feel like something's not quite right, it probably isn't.
-I like all the advice from PPs as well!

Good luck! Hope I'm not being too negative about the whole thing--just thought I'd share a few things I've run across.

CvilleClaire

All of my Boston apartments, except one, were found via Craigslist.  The last one was found through a broker (drawback: broker's fees, positives: nicer pool of apartments).

The "rules" that many people have about how much you should spend on rent don't always work in major cities.  I think half (maybe a little more?) of my income was spend on rent during my Boston years.  Obviously, that's no ideal, but I was adamant about living on the T, which would reduce my dependence on my car.  I could have spent less on rent out in the suburbs, but I would have spent more on gas and maintenance on the car.

I agree with the comment about getting everything in writing.  In addition, take pictures/video of every square inch of your place when you move in. Keep both online and make sure your landlord has a link to them.  It will help enormously when you move out.

Also know that you will probably put down at last 1.5 months of rent for deposits.  Some of that must be put in a bank account and left for the duration of your stay in the unit.  Few landlords do this, but you need to be firm about getting the account number and confirmation that your deposit is there.

whereyat

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_housing-questions?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:0fb3ce37-7265-45b9-96f5-397fae25841cPost:568a95d7-f833-4e82-b79e-12870ba78f89">Re: Housing questions</a>:
[QUOTE]Hmm. I've found every apartment I've ever lived in on craigslist. My experiences were all in NYC, and I imagine Boston would be similar. (Are you right in Boston?)It's no fun looking for a rental in a big city--you'll probably run into some jerky agents and brokers--but if you're persistent, you can find great places. When my ex and I looked in NYC last year, we found a place in Brooklyn that didn't charge an application fee or credit check fee, and no broker fee either. We dealt mainly with the landlord's rental agent (who was weird, but a nice guy). We loved the place, too. It was huge for the money and nicely renovated. So if you're looking to save money, it can be done! From what I hear, using a broker, if it's the right one, can be a great option if you're willing to pay the fee. You should definitely do a lot of asking around to see what standard fees are in your area, though. Tips... -Don't bother with agents/brokers who talk so fast you can't get a word in. -Don't let anyone scare you or try to tell you that "this is the best you're going to find for the money." -Get EVERYTHING in writing. But be tactful--you don't want the landlord to think you don't trust them (even though you don't, because you don't know them!). -Know what your landlord expects of you in order to get your full deposit back when you move out. Example--sometimes they want everything spotlessly clean, sometimes as long as all your stuff is out, they don't care. -Ideally, don't sign a lease unless both you and your BF can sign together. Usually when they only want one person on the lease, it's because they want the option to turn over the apartment for more money if the lease holder decides to leave, rather than letting the other person stay and get a roommate. That's what happened to my ex, even though I did everything I could from day one to convince the landlord to keep him on. It sucked. -Listen to your gut. If you feel like something's not quite right, it probably isn't. -I like all the advice from PPs as well! Good luck! Hope I'm not being too negative about the whole thing--just thought I'd share a few things I've run across.
Posted by marleylikeair[/QUOTE]

Agreed with these and with the PP's - At the risk of sounding repetitive....
-Everything in writing!  If you have a conversation w/your landlord where they tell you something important, email them confirming what they said.
-You will probably need a co-signer (parent) for your first apt, but after that one, you could sign for them on your own.
-Agreed, get both of your names on the lease if possible.
-Re: choosing a place, I also have found everything through Craigslist.  You might also want to do several "drive-bys" of the place to see what the neighborhood is like during day, evening, rush hour, etc.

leia1979

We found our place on Craigslist. We live in a condo that's privately owned.  We also looked at rent.com, hotpads.com, and apartments.com. Those will have the bigger apartment complexes, but individually owned units like ours are only on things like Craigslist.

I'd also never lived anywhere but home. My landlady only asked for the rental form (which included things like employment history) and she ran my credit report. (They only needed to run one, so we said to do mine as I have a higher score.)

We toured the place twice before we decided to go for it, and we even got to meet the current tenants and ask them questions.

Also, when we first started looking, we had a list of minimum requirements: 2 bedrooms, 1 car garage, pool, A/C, in-unit laundry. Having a list like that will help you narrow down the 5 million choices.

meamolly

you should look for places that are no more than 33% of your monthly after tax income for housing (total,housing expense includes everything that's involved in having a roof over her head. Electricity, phone, renter's insurance and anything else that you are responsible for should be included.)

LizzyTish88

Thanks everyone! You have all been very helpful. We are not looking in the city. I actually live about 45 minutes outside of the city. The area we are looking in is very rural. We also have a college town in our radius so that is helpful.

I really hate to post and run but today is school and I will be slammed, but I will be back later. Thank You again!!

leia1979

Oh, one more thing...not sure if this is in your budget, but FI and I discovered that having a place with two bathrooms was a godsend. We totally thought we would just keep the second bathroom as a guest bathroom, but it ended up as "his" and "hers." It makes getting ready in the morning so much easier!