Renting A House, Anything I Need To Know?

[Krill]

I hope you can get a powerful enough AC though...

[snoopy369]

Houses in the U.S. in A/C areas usually come with full A/Cs

[DirtyMartini]

Originally posted by Patroklos
Best part is it has a little back yard. I have been wanting to get a dog for 4 years but with me deploying all the time and living in small apartments I didn't think it was a fair way to force an animal to live.

funny, I waited through 10 years of apartment living to get a dog. Finally got one when I rented my first house with a little yard last July. What kind you gonna get? Shelter dog?

I'd second Kid's comments about having that stuff gone from the garage by the time you move it. A) if they don't get it done by then, they probaby won't get it dont at all. B) You just don't want your landlord stomping around moving the stuff after you've moved in. Really, you want your landlord around as little as possible in my experience.

AFAIK, there is no real difference between renters insurance for house vs. renters insurance for apartment. Usually the homeonwner's insurance covers the physical property. Your renters just covers your stuff.

[Patroklos]

I hope you can get a powerful enough AC though...

It does, but in the summer, even with the Carolina heat, I prefer to just open the windows. Old constuction here is designed to allow good circulation. Some houses are like wind tunnels.

funny, I waited through 10 years of apartment living to get a dog. Finally got one when I rented my first house with a little yard last July. What kind you gonna get? Shelter dog?

I will have to see what the shelter has when I move in (next month probably), but I want a chocolate lab. I will go for any lab though, but it does have to be a lab.

AFAIK, there is no real difference between renters insurance for house vs. renters insurance for apartment. Usually the homeonwner's insurance covers the physical property. Your renters just covers your stuff.

Thats what I thought, I will jsut transfer the coverage.

Also, my last place wouldn't let me have a grill. If I have one I cook EVERYTHING on it. Steaks, fish, lobster, spagetti ( )...

Rebate check = grill

[DirtyMartini]

I looked a the shelter a bunch of times, but for a variety of reasons ended up getting a dog from a breeder. I run into a couple of the dogs I had considered from the shelter fairly often at the dog park -- I really respect the people who adopted them, because, unfortunately, some of those dogs are still a little dog aggressive.

Labs are awesome dogs, no doubt about that. My brother and brother and law each have a lab. I got a GSP instead. Awesome dog.

I'm with you on the grill issue, that's one of my favorite parts about living in a house vs. an apartment.

[DinoDoc]

Dachshunds are wonderful dogs IMO. You can find rescue groups for most if not all breeds of dogs if you want to avoid a mill as well.

[dudemanjack]

Originally posted by Patroklos

Also, my last place wouldn't let me have a grill. If I have one I cook EVERYTHING on it. Steaks, fish, lobster, spagetti ( )...

Rebate check = grill

$600 grill? Awesome.

[Alinestra Covelia]

Originally posted by Krill
I hope you can get a powerful enough AC though...

QFT. On those warm Southern evenings when your passion is up but so's the mercury, you want to make sure your AC doesn't blow out halfway through.

[Zkribbler]

Originally posted by Alinestra Covelia


QFT. On those warm Southern evenings when your passion is up but so's the mercury, you want to make sure your AC doesn't blow out halfway through.

Always check under the sinks for woodrot. If the plumbing is leaking, this is where is will most likely be.

Who does the gardening?

[Donegeal]

Well, here is a different perspective. I am a landlord that rents out a house (nice how Apolyton can give you such a wide variety of people).

I don't use a management company, but thats because my business just isn't big enough that I can't handle it by myself. However, since this guy does use one, he will be more of the hands off kind of guy. Almost everything you do will be through the management company. The stuff in the garage, getting rid of it is up to you. If you don't mind that its there, then who cares that it's there (and no, Kid, I don't have things at the house I rent out). If you want it out, say so from the get go and lodge complaints with the management company. They should keep good records of complaints.

If they aren't going to paint, ask if you could. I have a tendancy to let my tenents do pretty much whatever they want with their places so long as its back to 'normal' after they leave.

Not sure what else you might be looking for, but if you treat the house like it was your own (ie: a little TLC), the landlord/management company will be very easy to work with.

Good luck!

[Donegeal]

Oh yeah! Pets! Make sure that pets are allowed on the lease (if you are going to have any that is). Pay attention to this also as when I make up my leases, I specify the number, size and type of pets allowed (usually whatever they have at the time of signing).

[Wezil]

Congrats Pat. From the pic it looks like a fine home.

Ming's advice on documenting damage is very good. I would go one step further and see if you can do a joint inspection of the property with the owner and then both sign off on the document. It's a little safer than a one sided inspection.

Donegeal - I ignored he "No pets" clause in my lease and moved in with two cats. That provision is not enforceable in the province of Ontario.

[Donegeal]

That is one of two reasons why I let tenents have pets. I'm to lazy to make sure they are following the rules (the other is putting "Pets Allowed" in the newspaper add brings in the applications!).

[Wezil]

I'm sure it does.

Here you can prohibit a particular animal if it can be shown to have caused property damage. Even then the tenant has 1st option to remedy the situation (fix the damage and ensure it won't happen again). A blanket ban on pets is disallowed.

My pet statement was actually incorrect. When I moved in here I had two ferrets and one cat...

[Tuberski]

Originally posted by Donegeal
Well, here is a different perspective. I am a landlord that rents out a house (nice how Apolyton can give you such a wide variety of people).

I don't use a management company, but thats because my business just isn't big enough that I can't handle it by myself. However, since this guy does use one, he will be more of the hands off kind of guy. Almost everything you do will be through the management company. The stuff in the garage, getting rid of it is up to you. If you don't mind that its there, then who cares that it's there (and no, Kid, I don't have things at the house I rent out). If you want it out, say so from the get go and lodge complaints with the management company. They should keep good records of complaints.


Good luck!

We've been renting for over a year now, and have yet to hear from our landlord, management company has been easy to deal with also.

ACK!