As a REALTOR® with RE/MAX, I am solely working for you – the prospective renter – and my services are 100% free and come with no obligation.
- Contact me for a free property search of all homes in your desired neighborhood that meet your specific criteria. We can search rental homes by city, location on map, zip code, number of bedrooms or bathrooms, square footage, lot size, pool and many other qualifiers.
- Inform me of the properties that meet with your approval and then we will schedule a home tour showing of the available rental homes at your convenience.
- Once you have found the rental house you like, I will negotiate the terms of your rental agreement on your behalf.
- In most cases, the owner of the rental property (landlord or property manager) will require a credit check to be performed and this credit application will cost you about $30-$40, which is a non-refundable fee.
- Once you are approved, you will be presented with a rental lease agreement. The lease is a legal document that is binding on both the resident and the landlord. It specifies the terms and conditions of the contract, as well as responsibilities.
- At this time, an earnest deposit is required to take the property off the market until your scheduled move-in date. This good faith money is applied to your first rent payment and shows the landlord you are serious about moving in. The earnest money amount will vary but is usually about half a month’s rent.
- You will be required to put down a one-time security deposit that is about one month’s rent (the maximum security deposit allowed to be collected is 1.5x the monthly rent amount). This will be held by the property manager and applied to the cost of repairing any damages (if any) to the home made by you.
- You will be required to pay a cleaning deposit that can be about $250-$300. This amount is sometimes returned to you in full or in part at the end of your lease, but check your rental agreement for exact terms, as quite often this is non-refundable.
- If you have a pet (including an assistive animal), you may be required to pay a pet deposit of around $200-$300. This is sometimes returned in whole or in part at lease expiration, but check your rental agreement for exact terms, as most often this is non-refundable.
Before you move in to the property, it is important for you to consider purchasing renters insurance. This is a special insurance policy that protects your personal contents of the rental home from loss or damage due to fire or theft. Most insurance companies offer such policies starting with $20,000 of coverage and cost about $150 per year.
Right before you are scheduled to move in, it is important for you to do a walk-through with myself and the property manager. This allows you to confirm the home is clean and to your satisfaction. It is a good idea to take a few “before” pictures and note any existing damage in writing on the rental property checklist.
Because utilities such as water, waste, natural gas, electric, cable television, phone and internet service are likely to all be in your name as tenant of the rental home, it is your responsibility to call and order service before you move in. Depending on your credit history, some may require a refundable security deposit. This will also help you to start building credit in your own name.
When moving out, a final walk-through will be performed (just like was done at move-in) and after deducting the necessary amount to cover damage and repairs during your lease term (if any), the remainder of the security deposit is refundable from the property manager within 14 business day when you move out. Terms for holding and refunding the security deposit are stated in the lease.
