What do renters want?

16 years ago

I mostly hang out in the buying and selling forum so I have somewhat of an idea what buyers want, but I'm not sure if the same psychology also applies to renters. With renters, do they also want the same things that buyers are looking for? So, renters, what are you looking for when you look for a place to rent? Any must haves? Any red flags that will automatically strike a potential place off your list?

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Comments (21)

bud_wi
16 years ago
Red flags? Yeah there are lots of them. Seeing roach traps under sinks and roach tape on baseboards around an apartment is one. I remember asking one prospective landlord about a possible roach problem in the building and he said "Why you ask? You 'fraid of dem?"

Eeeek.
socaldisneydude
16 years ago
This is what I look for:

When I first start looking at advertisement for apartments I looks at the pictures in the ad. If all you are showing me is pictures of the pool, the gym and the front office then right away that's a red flag. I want to see pictures of the units.

I want clean, fairly new appliances. I don't want to see an a/c unit that's older than I am in my window. I don't want to see a dishwasher so old that it still has knobs and large buttons on it. I want silent celing fans.

Most importantly I want absolute fairness when it comes to renting to pet owners. One of my biggest pet peeves (no pun intended) is when I see a place listed as "pet friendly" and then you find out that it's cats only. If youre gonna allow pets, allow both dogs AND cats. Speaking of pets, Don't charge pet rent. To me, that's a deal breaker right there. I'll pay the pet deposit for additional pet rent on top of the deposit is just wrong.
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I will try to give you a few ideas; maybe some arrows in your quiver. One thing you may not be aware of in regard to rental property is that many/most landlords have management companies that find tenants and manage the rentals for the landlords. They usually take around 10% of the rent and often the first month rent. This sounds like a lot of money, but to the management company, it is a pretty skinny margin. From the landlord's perspective, most management companies do a poor job of screening tenants and managing the tenants. In my experience, the poor experience you are having with your neighbors is probably mirrored in the owner's books. Many of these management relationships do not align the interests of the landlord with the management company. Try to open a dialogue or line of communication with the owner and the management company. Reach out to them, exchange numbers and tell them you just want to know who they are and who to contact in case their property is being mistreated or abused. Owners will not want to hear about loud parties, but you can contact the management company and complain. You can ask questions about their screening process. Honestly, hard core credit checks and references weed out most problems. Just gently put remind them that what they do or fail to do affects your life and that you are a real person that has to deal with the consequences of their procedures and screening. Don't be over the top, just in the background and helping to protect the property and real person that has to deal with their tenants. Many of these landlords and management companies have no idea what is really going on with the tenants. Secondly, put together an informal HOA. You do not need legal authority and fees to make one work. In fact, having money and authority creates all sorts of problems and responsibility. Just get a few like minded neighbors together and have a meeting once a quarter on someone's front porch. You can exchange contact information and start communicating. Give yourself a name. Some neighbors will show up and you will meet some like minded people. Set up a google group to communicate. After your first meeting, put together a flyer and drop it off on every front porch or doorstep in the neighborhood. This will put everyone on notice that the community is organized. You can take this far as you want: Elect officers, put out regular flyers or organize neighborhood cookouts. The important part is to let the neighborhood know you are organized, give officers in the organization some backing to approach the city council, police, crime watch, management companies and landlords. You would be surprised how many of your neighbors feel the same way and the organization will help you get things done. The last suggestion is less social and civic, but it is very effective. One word, VIDEO. Most of the behavior you describe is not the sort of thing people want on video. People really clean up their act when they are worried about being recorded. You can set up a simple door bell cam that streams video to the cloud via WiFi and your mobile phone for around $200.00. I think the recurring charge is $5.00 per camera per month. The newer models are HD quality, have wide fields of vision and infrared up to 25 or 30 feet. This is very simple and very good quality. You can also step up to multi camera system with a base station that wirelessly connects to multiple cameras. These can be little harder to configure, you can find them at Costco or Sam's Club in the $200 to $350 range. Lastly, you can buy a full blown HD surveillance system with recording and 4 to 16 cameras for $400 to $2000, from Costco or Sam's club. These are great, but they require coax wiring to be installed and this can be expensive. There are some that use Wifi, but you still have to get power to the cameras and that is problematic as well. You can find something that will get a camera on what concerns you and it will have an impact. Make it conspicuous too. Those are the big ones. I hope you find something in there that you can try in your neighborhood. It honestly sounds like you have a great spot and I think there are some steps you can take to that should have a positive impact and while providing some feedback that you are making some progress and having an impact. Best of Luck ~Justin
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angel47630
16 years ago
I look for quality of the building both inside and out. If the place is crap it will be run like crap.

I also look at the yard and the way it is taken care of, how clean the pool is and then the newness of the appliances. If a landlord or management co doesn't care enough to put in appliances that are from the same decade we are living in, I won't look any further.

Then the most important thing to me.......the manager. I want a professional. I don't want a sleez, I don't want a teenager and I don't want someone who doesn't speak proper English. I don't want to see the someone who has no clue how to dress or speak and then pretend they are going to tell me how to live. Not going to happen.

I always find out the management company then come home and research them online. You can look up all the apts they own and get the ratings from them and see the "real" story behind their lines. You can also see if they win awards for best complex, best lawns, best maintenance......that is what draws me.

Good question!
patti43
16 years ago
Safety first. We're gated and have about an 8' brick wall around our units. We also have security systems in the units and a "call button" that goes directly to the police station. Sounds like we live in a terrible neighborhood, but it's probably the best in town.

Quick maintenance when there's a problem.

Grounds that are landscaped and well maintained.

Appliances in working order and reasonably efficient.

Soundproofing is pretty essential to keep tenants happy. Nobody wants to hear some of the horror noises we read about on this forum. Geez!

That's all I can think of now.
angel47630
16 years ago
uhhhh, by "proper" English, I was talking about landlords who speak with proper wording, i.e. using ain't, or the four letter words too. I cannot stand when I have been out looking at rentals and the landlord has a filthy mouth or can't speak professionally.

I could care less what nationality they are, I am just looking for professionalism.
bud_wi
16 years ago
Lucy: Sorry, but if one is expecting to get a job where one has to deal with the public or handle paperwork, one MUST have a good command of English. Its not arrogant, it just makes sense. If a job does not entail English speaking as a necessity, then there is no problem hiring someone who is not fluent in English.

In the type of work I do those who do not speak English get hired for postions that do not involve dealing with the public.

Also, a sizable number of English speaking persons are not literate - even those born here. Those people are hired into postions that do not involve paperwork, and hence their lack of literacy disqualifies them from promotion into managerial postions or lateral moves that may garner them higher wages.

No one is saying "Don't hire them! Ever!" but rather, make sure they can handle the position they are placed in, and that may require English skills.
rivkadr
16 years ago
For me personally, peace and quiet is at the top of the list. That means adequate soundproofing, and a well-laid out building (i.e. bedrooms in one apartment shouldn't be right next to the living room of another apartment). Rental agreements should have strict noise covenants, and personally, I would never live in a complex that rents to dogs (sorry, socaldisneydude).

Cleanliness, both in the rental unit, and the grounds.

Adequate parking, both for myself, and for guests.

Being allowed to have cats is a must, at least for me. I'm perfectly willing to pay an extra pet deposit.

As far as appliances, so long as they're relatively new, I'm happy. Dishwasher is a must.

Like angel, I always looked up places online before renting. 9 out of 10 people posting are writing to complain about the place, so you have to take it all with a grain of salt, but you can usually figure out which places are really awful versus bearable.

I own a house now, by the way, and OMG I am so happy not to be in apartments anymore. No more booming bass from the crappy next door neighbor, no stomping around from upstairs, no little kids kicking my door and running away. The only (minor) annoyances I have now are the occasional barking from the dog behind me, and when the next door neighbors have a party with a mariachi band ;)
bud_wi
16 years ago
I'm surprised this thread has not gotten more responses. I thought I was a very good question.

I want to suggest when placing an ad for an apartment to show photos of the unit and the building. I was recently on vacation and picked up one of those apartment rental booklets out of curiosity and thumbed through it.

I was amazed at the fact that most of the full page color ads did not bother to show photos of the apartments. Instead they showed things like happy couples drinking wine, dogs sleeping on couches, a family sitting on a rock, blue skies, trees, smiling faces. What a waste of advertising space. Show the apartments! A photo of a nice place will bring people in in droves. No photo of the place makes one wonder what is wrong with the place.

Also it is helpful to list not only the starting price of the rentals but the ceiling price too. Nothing more aggravating than going to check out an apartment complex advertising "starting at $800.00/mo" only to find out that, that is the price of the efficiencies at the back of the building, and the one BR start at a thousand dollars more per month and are out of a person's price range.

In the ad stick to the facts about the apartment and avoid wasting ad space with things that are subjective like "Fabulous views!" and "Friendly atmosphere!" People want to know the facts, like if there is a dishwasher, onsite management, balcony, laundry facilities onsite or in unit, carpeting or wood floors, pet friendly or not, parking available, ect. A picture is worth a thousand words.
ihatenoise
16 years ago
Definitely good sound proofing.
Quiet area? Yeah....right, What about inside?
I want an oven with a light in it, its annoying when there isnt one.
No renting out to family members, or making friends with noise makers, extremly unprofessional, and then when they start getting out of control nothing will be done.

Whats with the white carpets? And white walls?

2 20 amp counter outlets.

Getting charged for burnt out lightbulbs??? How do i know it didnt burn out when you turned it on?

In unit washer and dryer, only if the place has adequate soundproofing though.
angel47630
16 years ago
bud,

I totally agree with what you said. When we decided we were going to sell and move to an apt I picked up one of those guides. All the high end places are like a secret! I had to literally drive to all of them to physically look. Not that I wasn't going to thoroughly check them out anyway, but geez, some were such a waste of time if they would have just shown the pictures in the books I would have known I didn't like the apt and didn't need to waste my time looking.

I guess they are thinking once you drive out to the property they will lure you in with their bright colored flowers and over the top landscaping and you will be totally blinded by how small the apt is or will not notice there are no lights in the closets!

I like to go to the apt guide's online site. There they have the virtual tours and you don't have to waste so much time.
coolvt
16 years ago
As a landlord I can understand people mentioning things like dishwashers, ceiling fans, soundproofing, etc..I own properties in different areas..one with unbelievable demand and one with very limited demand. In the limited demand area, we have to try to give renters all kinds of things and keep the rent very low.
In the high demand area the renters are pretty satisfied just to get anything in a safe area that has a little space...no questions on a nice yard, no pools (in the cold North), no questions on sound proofing, etc. In this area if I tell someone the unit is rented I often had them tell me that they are willing to pay more than the asking rental price.
The point I'm trying to make is that renters can want all kinds of things, but if they are in a high demand area, the rents will be high and they will not able to be so choosy about what they look at.
mike_73
16 years ago
I am a landlord myself. I live in my building so I know I want too keep it nice and continue to upgrade it as time goes on. I think renters want a place thats cared for by the owner not a dump. my building is an older home that has alot of the nice moldings houses had at the turn of the century and some things are not so modern but I am updating the kitchens and electrical so that dishwashers and things we expect in modern life are there along with the old. I generally think about how I would like it to be for me to live there. My thinking is if I would be happy living there I should have no problem finding a renter that will be happy to pay to live there.
gcox
16 years ago
The thread question is kind of like asking what do buyers want. Like buyers, each renter is unique based upon how they prioritize many different options.

I have rented for over 20 years all over the USA. IÂve been in residential real estate sales and I collected apartment ratings on my Web site since 1998. I stopped posting those apartment ratings for a variety of reasons but I found that a frequent complaint involved noise. I was also a little surprised to see that two tenants in the same complex at the same time can have completely opposite opinions about their renting experience.

I have to agree with the comments in this thread about the photos in the apartment advertising. The pictures of pretty landscaping, or the pool, etc. donÂt help the prospective renter. But you, as a renter, can do something about it. I recently created a special area on my Web site http://www.thelemonclub.com/forums/ for renters to upload their own photos. If there is something special about your apartment you might want to share it with other renters.

Here is a link that might be useful: TheLemonClub
craftfetish
16 years ago
I bought my home 3 years ago, so I'm a former renter.

Much as with purchasing real estate, my first priority was location. A desirable neighborhood, near where I worked/went to school/the subway or whatever.

After that, I like to be able to scope the place out online as much as possible online. I want to see actual rent for the actual size unit I want. I want to see pictures of the building, units, grounds, ammenities, etc. If it is a multi-unit community, I was okay with floor plans and photos of an interior even if it wasn't to be my interior.

Price was always a major consideration for me, so I wanted to see what was included in my rent (water, heat, AC, cable...).

I wanted a laundry option - either washers and dryers in the building/complex or in the unit or with hook ups.

I was a renter of pretty small places. 3 br flats that I shared with 2 other people or 1 br flats for just me. If I were in the market to rent a house or something involving extra rooms, I might have had a different position re: appliances, etc. For me in a 1 br, I wanted all of my appliances - including a dishwasher and I wanted to be able to do laundry without carrying my underwear across creation.

That's my $0.02
bud_wi
16 years ago
Gcox, it is rally bad forum to sign up TODAY and use this forum to come here to try to drive people over to YOUR website.
black-thumb
16 years ago
As a renter I want:

1. Strict quiet rules
2. Large rooms
3. Plenty of closet space
4. Laundry room on the premises
5. Storage area for each tenant in the basement
6. New appliances,including a dishwasher
7. Clean buidling, well kept landscaping
8. NO pest of any kind
9. Ability to paint any color I choose
1. Abiltiy to hang pictures etc. on the wall
2. Up-to-date cabinetry
3. Shower doors ( I hate curtains)
4. Top notch security system
5. Central AC/Heat that I can regulate myself
6. Gas and heat included
7. Exclusive floors for those with pets or children
8. Some form of crown molding doesn't have to be fancy
9. Parking space for each tenant
10. Ability to have a satalite dish
11. Ceiling light in all rooms
I guess I'll stop here although I am sure I could think of more. LOL Where I live now they have an office where you can have a key made if you lose yours or replace the lights in the kitchen or bath or if you need a new toilet seat etc. So that would be nice for all buildings to have.
black-thumb
16 years ago
I meant Gas and water
gcox
16 years ago
bud_wi : Apparently I need to clarify a few things for you. I have been a member of these forums long before I posted in this thread. It just so happened on that day I decided to create a new profile for valid reasons that I need not explain to you.

And yes, I was referring to my forum which I had already indicated in my posting. So your comment does nothing but make incorrect assumptions and restates what I already said. I donÂt benefit by offering a place for tenants to post photos because its free. One reason I do it is because IÂve been lied to by unscrupulous landlords and I hoped to help others avoid them.

Most people know that there are dozens of rental-related forums that offer different features. If my motive was as you indicated I would have posted in all of them. The next time you are tempted to criticize someone I suggest you send them a private message and gather a few facts.
bud_wi
16 years ago
Aaah, we don't have PM here at GW. If you were really a "long time member" here you would have known that.

I see that your only posting here since you signed up has been this one to promote your website.
gcox
16 years ago
Hey bud_wi . . . I was referring to the forum option where one person sends an email message to another member, and I called it private simply to distinguish it from a public forum message. I donÂt know why you would assume I was referring to an option that does not exist within GW. Email messages are private the last time I checked.

I took exception to your "bad forum" comment for two reasons. My post was compliant with the forum rules but apparently not compliant with YOUR rules so thatÂs your problem - not mine. The issue with recommending products or web sites or anything else is really about full disclosure, and not about how long youÂve been a member. I know that advertising isnÂt allowed but it is perfectly acceptable if you want to recommend something where you have a personal interest - just disclose it. That way people can make up their own minds. And if that doesnÂt agree with MarcieÂs rules then you should send your suggestions to the forum management.
angel47630
16 years ago
gcox,

Hey, that site was really cool. That is a great idea for apt dwellers to be able to post pics of apts online and write their "own" discription.

Actually, I just like the pics, that is what wastes my time. I don't care what anyone "says" about an apt because they might have an axe grind so I like to go and look myself, ya know?

Thanks for the very interesting read.

What do renters want?

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bud_wi

socaldisneydude

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