How to Rent From Individual Home Owners

Renting from an individual homeowner often means a less formal relationship than renting from a management company because you are dealing directly with the decision-maker on the property instead of a go-between.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Local Newspapers
• Credit Reports
• Personal Organizers

1. Get a rent guide from the supermarket, surf the Internet and check the classifieds in the local newspaper to find rentals you may be interested in.
2. Drive around areas you like noting any properties with a "For Rent" sign.
3. Call the number listed to discuss the property with the landlord. If the property sounds like a good prospect, go ahead and make an appointment to see the rental.
4. Fill out the application after you have seen the property. The application will require information about your rental history and credit references.
5. Ask questions about repairs as well as emergency and routine maintenance. You want to make sure these things have been agreed to before you move in. Get whatever you and the landlord agree to in writing, preferably in the rental agreement. Verbal agreements often lead to misunderstandings, which can lead to many problems down the road including eviction.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep the relationship on a business level even though you're only dealing with one or two people. The key way to do this is to make sure everything about the terms and conditions of the lease is in writing.
• Provide the landlord with a current copy of your credit report so each landlord does not have to pull a report (which will negatively affect your credit rating.)
• Know your rights. Unscrupulous landlords may try to take advantage of uninformed tenants.
• Don't set yourself up to rent from someone only interested in collecting the rent and not willing to invest in the property. For these landowners, making a quick buck has priority over maintaining a good investment and healthly living conditions.