HowToDoThings.com Renting & Leasing

How To Screen a New Prospective Rental Applicant

firsttroycorp — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 13:24:09 -0500

Landlords should try and find the best renters available who they think will pay the rent in a timely manner and not damage the rental property. This can be accomplished by performing credit checks and other pre-leasing tests. Here are the proper ways to screen a new applicant for a rental apartment or rental townhome:

How To Settle into Your First Apartment

MissySJ276 — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 13:47:53 -0500

So, you did it. You've accomplished what most twenty-somethings everywhere are dreaming of...settling into your own place. It's the ultimate step in independence. You've stepped out of the shadow, and out from under the roof of Mom and Dad. Congrats!

But now what? Before you head to the mall to start shopping for all the gizmos and gadgets you've been dreaming up for your new pad, you might want to read the following steps. From conquering those ugly bills to the most overlooked apartment necessities to tips on how to save the green stuff (aka cold, hard cash), this article has got you covered.

How To Choose the Right Style Home

Youshouldown — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 15:38:40 -0500

Homebuyers often confuse one style of home for another. When searching for your next home or trying to determine the style that matches your needs, it's important to know the different styles of homes available and on the market. Below is a breakdown of the many styles and their descriptions.

Bi-Level: A bi-level style home is typically a one-story floor plan that has been raised above ground level, where another level of living such as a basement or additional rooms resides. They are often considered ranches or split-level homes. In fact, when you enter the front door and have to climb stairs to get to the kitchen or main living space, you're typically in a bi-level style home.
Bungalow: A bungalow style home is a compact 1-1/2 story house that contains smaller rooms. There will typically be 2 or more bedrooms on the main floor, along with a bathroom and living space.

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How To Make Your Home a Resort

Youshouldown — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 23:53:38 -0500

In today’s world of home channel popularity and all things fashionable, making your home magazine-perfect and envied by all isn’t such a hard or expensive thing to do. Even the smallest changes and additions can make a huge difference for less than a weekend getaway. After all, you live in your home before and after the getaway.

How To Find a Real Estate Newsletter

Grace170 — Fri, 22 Sep 2006 03:45:00 -0500

If you are looking to get into the real estate market, or simply to increase your knowledge about this industry it is wise to invest, or search out a real estate newsletter. Newsletters can come in a variety of ways (electronic, flyer, etc.) and have varying degrees of quality. Here are some tips on real estate newsletters.

How To Lease To Own a Home

Grace170 — Wed, 16 Aug 2006 06:23:00 -0500

Many people looking for a new place to live find themselves in a position where they prefer not to rent, but cannot swallow the idea of making that big purchase. For some, there is an in-between option, also known as "leasing to own" a condo or home. "Rent to Own" or "Lease Purchase" are other terms to describe this real estate transaction. Here is how you can approach a landlord and/or seller with the idea of leasing to own.

How To Understand Landlord Tenant Law

Grace170 — Mon, 24 Jul 2006 04:15:00 -0500

If you are planning on becoming a landlord in the near future or if you have just signed a lease as a tenant, you should familiarize yourself with the Landlord Tenant Laws. The Act governing most states is the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act. Although "URLTA" is used by thirteen states, the laws governing the Landlord Tenant Laws elsewhere in the country have similarities. In the follow article we will summarize the major points of the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act in order to get a better idea of what the Landlord Tenant codes are in the United States and what the relationship between Landlords and Tenants should be.

What is the URLT Act? The URLT Act was formed in order to clarify landlord/tenant rights and responsibilities, to impress upon both the importance of creating and improving the quality of housing, and to define what the relationship between the landlord and tenant should be.

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How To Lease Property

Grace170 — Thu, 13 Jul 2006 04:47:00 -0500

You have an apartment building that you want to rent out. You have some land that you are interested in loaning someone in exchange for payment. You own a marina and you want to sell dock space for a duration of time in exchange for money. If any of these scenarios are true, you are looking into "leasing" property. Residential leasing typically takes the form of renting an apartment. We'll explore the logistics of this type of leasehold in this article, as well as talk briefly about other forms of leasing.

How To Take Advantage of Lease Busters

Grace170 — Sun, 09 Jul 2006 16:09:00 -0500

A lease is an agreement between a landlord and tenant. It is a document binding both parties to the terms of the agreement-it is a legal and binding commitment that is enforceable by law. Should either party default, or "lease bust," the other party may take legal and according action. Here are some examples of how a lease is "busted" and how the damaged party can respond.

Tenant abandonment. If the tenant decides to up and leave the apartment rental without the proper notice (as indicated by the lease agreement), the landlord may seek damages. The statutes vary by state, so you should refer to RentLaw or the website for the specific state in question. In most states, the landlord can seek money awards for the months the tenant has "skipped out on" in the rental housing authority circuit or small claims court.

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How To Take Advantage of Renting Over Buying

Grace170 — Sun, 07 May 2006 04:17:00 -0500

Most real estate agents will tell you, without hesitating, that it is always better to buy than rent. In many instances, in fact, most instances, this is probably good advice. Here are some situations where renting makes more sense than buying.

Interest rates. If you do not have much money to be put towards a down payment, if your credit report is hindering your ability to secure a loan at a decent interest rate, or if your mortgage broker cannot get you an attractive overall package, it may be a good idea to wait until this changes. Typically speaking, the more money you put down at closing the lower the interest rate. If you think that, in the next year you may be able to muster up more cash, wait. If you think that your credit report has blemishes and you can clear them up in a year's time-wait.

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