Always Agree on These Things Before Signing a Lease.
During the pandemic, people left apartments in big cities and went to villages in places where quarantine was a little easier. The exodus has caused some homeowners to struggle to fill the vacancies. If you are looking to buy a new apartment – or even renewing your existing lease – now is the time to gamble for a lower monthly fee, not to mention those additional perks and amenities that will make your daily life comfortable. -day life is much more enjoyable. Here are six things you should agree on every time you sign a new lease.
Monthly rent
Many people think that their monthly rent is the price of the property, but the landlord sets it, which means they can change it. Trying to negotiate a lower rent can be stressful; the risk of losing your apartment is a big fear. However, in the current environment, you may have more attraction than you think. As housing attorney Samuel J. Himmelstein told Brick Underground real estate website , “[t] it will grow and homeowners will be more interested in trying to retain their tenants to keep their cash flow.”
Look at the vacancies in your home and find comparable prices for similar apartments in your area. This will help you determine how much you should pay and compare that with how much you would like to pay.
If the landlord sticks to the monthly rate, try negotiating the monthly rent for free.
Lease term
If you know you are staying onsite and are worried about a rent increase at the end of your lease, ask for a longer term that will lower your overall rental costs in the long run. The average lease term is twelve months (one year), which is the fair lease term; after a year, you will usually know if you want to stay in the apartment or move. If you are renewing your lease or feel that you really enjoy the new excavation, you can ask for a longer lease – two years or even 18 months are common requests, whichever you think best suits your needs. Most homeowners welcome the idea of having a permanent tenant for a longer period of time, providing that monthly income and lowering turnover rates. Be sure to check the lease breach fees stipulated in the lease, because if something goes wrong during your lease period and you need to leave early, you want to be sure you can exit at a fair price. (By the way, you can also negotiate breakage fees in the negotiation process.)
Cosmetic changes
It is important to have a home with all the pleasures you like, so before you sign your lease, discuss the possibility of making small changes . Rearranging cabinets or replacing door handles are little things that can really change the look of a space. Since you will be living in the house and not with the landlord, you need the ability to make it your own, even if only temporarily.
Professional cleaning
Cleaning the apartment is absolutely your responsibility. You will not ask the landlord to wash the dishes, but you can ask for a deep cleaning service to be included in your lease. A professional cleaning company can do things like cleaning baseboards, shampoos, cleaning ceilings, and washing windows. If such a service were included in your monthly rent, spring cleaning would be a snap.
Parking
If you have the option of carving out a separate parking space, I recommend renting it straight away as part of your rental agreement. It will be more expensive in big cities like New York, where the allocated space costs an average of $ 430 per month , but it is definitely worth it if you can incorporate this request into your rental negotiations. If you have a car, you understand the trials and tribulations of street parking; A guaranteed spot saves you the extra costs associated with parking tickets and saves you the hassle of finding a spot late at night or moving your vehicle to clean the street.
Ask about the opportunity to move to a better apartment
When it comes to apartments, it is quite common to outgrow space. Perhaps you are completing your family and need more bedrooms or a better layout. Or you just accumulated more stuff. When signing your lease, discuss the option of moving to a larger or better apartment in the building when it becomes available. You will receive the first notification when new apartments appear on the market, and if necessary, you will have the opportunity to expand. Also ask for a referral bonus . If you send other tenants, ask for cash or rent money for that month. This is the least they can do to help them fill in the empty blocks.