What to Do Before Signing the Lease

So, you’ve found the best apartment or house, and you are clearly wanting to sign the lease. Not so fast! Once you sign a lease you obligate you to ultimately make the rental payments for the period of the lease, usually one year. So, let’s say the rent is $1,000 per month. Once you sign a lease, you’re obligating yourself to pay the landlord $12,000! It’s not necessary to dwell in the house or apartment, should you not like it. But you do absolutely have to pay the lease. There isn’t any getting out of it. So, it’s good to be certain this is a property you prefer to inhabit for the lease period.

First thing you should do is to inspect the property or house carefully. If you do not know much about building, then you certainly should get a friend, or the friend of a friend, to view the home or property for you. You want a record of what doesn’t work, and what shape things are in. It’s easy in this digital age to take pictures. So, why not get a camcorder, or even your phone, and take pictures of the whole place. This way when the lease is up and you are ready to move, you could show the owner that you weren’t the cause of the dent in the side of the stove.

Another thing you need to be aware about is the number and thickness of common walls. Common walls are the ones that separate you from the other tenants in the building. The more common walls there are, the easier it will be to hear the people or gals next door. Common walls are often thinner and transmit more sound in older buildings, so be especially conscious of that.

You should definitely understand how the amenities of the property are used. If it’s a quadruplex, for instance, make sure that you know who has the rights to the garage, if any, and the yard. Also, what is the deal with the laundry? If this is a newer, more expensive building, consider the gym and concierge services? Can they come included, or do you have got to pay more?

Always you should definitely can shoulder the rent! The worst thing is to discover a great place and then come to hate it in the few months since the rent is killing you. Perhaps the most common percentage is no more than 30% of your take home pay. That’s your hard earned dollars after taxes. If the rent is a touch too steep, ask the landlord if they’ll lower it, particularly if you take on some of the responsibilities around the property-say, mowing the yard, tidying up, doing mending, showing the place to prospective tenants, etc.

Lee Cole workedin the real estate business for over 20 years doing everything from sales to renting. To learn moreabout Gwinnett property management and Duluth homes for rent, check out these great videos.