The first step that you want to make sure that you take is getting a lawyer.  You always want to keep everything legal, that way you can ensure that no one can sue you for anything or that no one can accuse you of anything – renting is a tricky process and you want to make sure that you follow it.

Next, check the references that any potential renter has given you … after all, what can it hurt and it will show you just what kind of person they truly are.

Begin by familiarizing yourself with the rental guidelines, laws, and codes in your area. Know what you are responsible for, what your landlord is responsible for, and the rights that both of you have in your area.

Make sure you document any damages in the apartment or rental space right from the onset. If a real estate agent is involved, he or she will usually document these while you are present, but in addition to getting them in writing, you should take pictures of everything.

Do not talk to your landlord alone if you can help it. Make sure there is some kind of witness. If you have to write your landlord, use email so there is always proof.

I ran into one lady who demanded all my pets be spayed or neutered. Fair enough; three of the four are. My male cat is, because male cats spray and that can be a problem, I get that. My female dog and cat are fixed as well. My little male hot dog? Not so much; personal choice there, and his dangly bits do not cause any cleanliness problems, so what’s the big deal, lady?

A lot of the responsibility is going to fall on you. Many landlords are willing to negotiate, but you have to take responsibility for your pets. You have to make sure they are well behaved. You have to make sure they are completely house trained. You have to make sure they do not dig at the walls or the floors. Otherwise, why should anyone trust you to have your pets in what is essentially in their home?

Concessions are keeping a lot of business afloat and if you are looking to draw up some new contracts for renters, you are going to have to come up with some concessions.

Now, concessions could be anything from your cancellation policy and being lenient on that or simply adding in some short term fixes that might save your tenants some money.  You could also reduce your rent or match some of your competitor’s rental properties.

Buying a house for the very first time is something that is extremely difficult.  We have all been there or are going to be there sometime in our lives.  There are some things that you should take into account before you just dive bomb into a mortgage – especially nowadays and that is exactly what we are going to explore!  So before you sign anything, you should definitely read this!

For one – you need to make sure that you understand mortgages and how they work.  You never want to just sign on with the very first mortgage lender that you go to, you want to make sure that you shop around a bit.  Getting a mortgage is something that is very, very big and you want to make sure that you are making the right decision.

Mortgages come only after you find the ideal home too – so make sure that you do quite a bit of shopping for that too, you never want to just ‘settle’ for a house.

We all know that finding the perfect place for you can be very, very difficult.  This is especially true if it is your very first apartment.  My first apartment, it took me forever to find it and that is because I did not listen to anyone!  Well, we are here to help you and in the next few blogs we are going to explore some tips and tricks that will really, really assist you with finding the perfect apartment for you and your tastes!

First and foremost, you need to make sure that you research the area that you want to be in.  If you are going to school, you want to make sure that the property is going to be near your school.  If you work, you want to make sure that it is going to be somewhat close to your work.

All of these things are very important to consider and definitely something that you should think about. More on this in the next blog folks!

Having a formal application will help a lot in screening and investigating a tenant. Ask for the basic question like name, occupation, email and other relevant information like home address and contact numbers.

Next, you can ask if the potential tenant has a criminal record. It is also important to know any previous employers, addresses, or landlords. You can also ask for personal references. The provided reference should be contacted so you can protect your property and ensure your safety.

You can phone the previous landlord of the interested party and most likely they can shed some light about the behavior, practices, and if there are problems encountered with the person.

Make sure that you emphasize that the new renter will take care of your property and that payments will be made on time. Once you have checked the background of your tenant, you are somehow guaranteed of your safety and more importantly that of your other tenants.

You can check online and you will be able to find services which can do these checks for you for a minimal fee. There are also local offices which can help you check some public records about your possible tenant.

Being a landlord is being a business owner. Like any business owner, you want to be wise.