Renting? Then you're no stranger to surprise visits from the maintenance man, tough landlords, and an upstairs neighbor who seem to be running a 24/7 bar and disco in his unit.
There are things only renters will understand, and when you decide to own a home, you can just look back and get a good laugh at your experiences. But until then, here are 5 worst things about renting and their corresponding solutions according to Trulia:
The search
Before you can even deal with "renter problems", you first need to find a place, but good luck on that considering the fierce competition in the rental world.
Solution: Instead of relying to supermarket flyers, take advantage of technology and do your search online. You can try using Trulia's rental search feature that allows you to scout for the perfect units by category, by pet-friendly, furnished, new and more.
The upfront costs
Raise your hand if you find city rents overwhelming. Now triple that amount and that's how quickly you'd consider staying in your parent's house for longer.
Solution: You can try looking for no-fee situations, or you can negotiate. Landlords are sometimes willing to give a lower rent if you agree to sign for a longer lease.
A quirky landlord
Any renter would have had personal amusing encounters with landlords; a landlord who has no qualms of walking in your apartment and rifle your things; a landlord who is actually a neat freak but made you believe they're all laid back and chummy; a landlord who wouldn't stop talking and takes three hours to finish a 30-minute repair.
Solution: Try your best to be the ideal renter: pay rent on-time or even early; look presentable when you meet to talk about the lease; be nice regardless if it's in text or email. If you gain their trust and adoration, you are less likely to be on the receiving end of those quirky interactions.
Outdated amenities
Landlords know that as long as everything is clean and functioning, the unit will still get rented.
Solution: Make the investment on changes that will most affect your day-to-day life. If you hate the showerhead that came with the rental, you will be surprised with how quickly you can change that up with just $20 worth of a more stylish and modern hardware.
Decorating limitations
So you just got handed two pages worth of what you can't do with the rental unit.
Solution: Some rules are worth breaking, and that's particularly true when it comes to rentals. Ask your landlord if you can get new paint and they may even offer to pay for the materials. Wallpaper is another great decorating project that can drastically improve the space without the worry of breaching the lease. You can even personalize the space by switching out light fixtures as long as you put back the old ones when your lease is up.
