| "You've decided that you're ready to rent a home. | | | | for finding your rental home. Your realtor will be able to |
| Perhaps you've been living in apartments for a long | | | | answer questions about the safety of a neighborhood |
| time and ready to move into a bigger space with a | | | | as well as let you know about its proximity to schools, |
| yard but aren't quite ready to commit to buying a | | | | public transportation and area nightlife. These things |
| home. Making a move like this generally suggests that | | | | can take awhile to research on your own so you may |
| you're looking for a home that you're going to be in for | | | | save time (and heartache) by using a realtor. |
| at least a short period of time and so you want to find | | | | • Negotiating rental terms is difficult for you. |
| a home that meets all of your needs. You can | | | | Most landlords expect that you will attempt to |
| probably do this on your own, but would it be better to | | | | negotiate certain terms of your rental agreement. You'll |
| get the help of a realtor? Possibly. | | | | try to get a lower rate or at least a lower deposit, you'll |
| Here are some things that might make you want to | | | | want some leniency on the "no pets" clause or you'll |
| use a realtor to find your rental home: | | | | want to clarify points about maintenance of the home. |
| • You're new to renting. If you're moving in to | | | | If you aren't good at negotiating these things, you might |
| your first rental home and have previously lived in a | | | | just accept the rental agreement as is which is usually |
| parents' house or a dorm, you may not know what | | | | not a good idea. A realtor can do these negotiations |
| you need to look for in a rental home. A realtor can | | | | for you which will get you the best lease without |
| not only make sure that you get all of your rental | | | | harming your relationship with the new landlord. |
| needs met and get the best deal for your situation but | | | | • You don't have the time to find your rental |
| will also take you through all of the steps in the | | | | home. Perhaps you're a busy professional with too |
| process so that you'll have that knowledge when | | | | much on your plate and you can't be looking through |
| renting future homes. | | | | rental ads all day long. Hiring a realtor who will listen to |
| • You are moving to a new city. If you're | | | | your needs and find you the right homes to look at |
| moving to a location that you aren't familiar with, it's | | | | can save significantly on the time involved in the |
| usually a wise idea to get the assistance of a realtor | | | | process. |