Dear Renters: Read This To Save Money Before Signing Your New Lease!

4 Tips to Help Negotiate Your Lease

Dear Renters: Read This to Save Money before Signing your next Lease! So you got your eye on a new place or you’re going to sign or renew your lease soon but not sure if you can afford it, let alone have the time to look for a new place. Here’s four important money saving tips you should negotiate with your landlord before signing!

1. Do Your Research: Before you begin negotiating with the property owner, do as much research as you possibly can. Having knowledge about that particular property and other properties surrounding it can work in your favor. Once you have found the apartment in the area you love; check out other apartments, their amenities and rental prices to give you an idea of how much you would be willing to pay. Negotiating rent can be very tricky. Never sell yourself short but you can’t ask for your rent to be discounted fifty percent and expect to get it. Find a reasonable middle ground that works for the both of you.
2. Sell Yourself: You have to be like that car salesmen who is trying to get you into a brand new car. Show up to your appointment clean and properly dressed. Always point out your positives and what makes you better than the next tenant. Some key seller points is paying rent on time or early. Always keep your place clean and avoid being that noisy neighbor. No landlord wants a tenant that’s very disruptive, always causing problems with other tenants and never pays on time. Remain trustworthy and reliable once you move in.
3. Extending Your Lease: You can’t be the only one that benefits from this negotiating process. Instead of signing a 12 months lease, sign or renew for 18 or more. The landlord needs to feel like he’s making money instead of losing money. Also it helps reduces the money and time that would have been spent fixing up the place once you left.

4. Pay Early: Who doesn’t love advances. I know your landlord would appreciate it and probably consider discounting your rent. So if you can pay your rent 3 months in advance -in the end everyone will be happy. Can’t pay your rent in advance, try shooting for paying early. Instead of on the fifth, pay on the first or earlier than that if possible.

Written by KristianRacquel, Staff, Modern Domestic & Founder of KristianRacquelDaily Blog