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Leasing a house!

SniperGuySniperGuy SniperGuyGamingRegistered User regular
edited February 2010 in Help / Advice Forum
Short thread, quick question!

I'm a university student and me and my friends found a sweet 3 bedroom 2 bath house within a block or two of campus. Rent's nice, etc etc. What I want to ask, is are there any things I might have overlooked we should look for or ask about before we go into this? We've checked about utilities, and internet is something we'll get on our own. Any recommendations?

SniperGuy on

Posts

  • rockmonkeyrockmonkey Little RockRegistered User regular
    edited February 2010
    Some obvious things, but in a college town scope out the parking and or ask about the parking, especially if it's a big house converted into apartments, but it sounds like this is a regular house.

    Ask about the deposit and if it's all refundable. If you have a pet then generally pet deposit are not refundable.

    If the lease is a typical 1 year lease ask if after one year if it automatically switches to a month by month or if you have to sign another year lease.

    In the lease what are the details involved in YOU early terminating the lease, is it just 1 months notice and you lose your deposit or do you have to "buyout" the lease.

    rockmonkey on
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  • SniperGuySniperGuy SniperGuyGaming Registered User regular
    edited February 2010
    It's on the street so we would park there, but when we've gone to see it it's been spectacularly not crowded. It's in a pretty decent part of down. So that's good. Other things are all good questions I'll have to ask.

    SniperGuy on
  • KakodaimonosKakodaimonos Code fondler Helping the 1% get richerRegistered User regular
    edited February 2010
    Who all is going to be on the lease? Just you? You and all your friends? What happens when one of you leaves early? Are the others responsible for the rent?

    Does it have a washer & dryer?

    Are you responsible for yard maintenance?

    What's the average utility bills?

    Do you need parking permits from the city?

    Kakodaimonos on
  • SniperGuySniperGuy SniperGuyGaming Registered User regular
    edited February 2010
    Unsure about the lease, having a meeting for that.

    Washer and dryer hookups, plus for a while I have on campus access to washer and dryers. There's not a yard, average utility is 70-90, that'll be split 3 ways. Not sure about parking permits, but I have a friend in the area I can ask, good one.

    SniperGuy on
  • Sir CarcassSir Carcass I have been shown the end of my world Round Rock, TXRegistered User regular
    edited February 2010
    How can there not be a yard? Is it paved or something?

    Also find out if there's a HoA and what their rules are.

    Sir Carcass on
  • SniperGuySniperGuy SniperGuyGaming Registered User regular
    edited February 2010
    The front of the house comes directly up to a sidewalk. It's gated with a front porch. So no room for a yard. HoA?

    SniperGuy on
  • Sir CarcassSir Carcass I have been shown the end of my world Round Rock, TXRegistered User regular
    edited February 2010
    Homeowners Association

    Sir Carcass on
  • EncEnc A Fool with Compassion Pronouns: He, Him, HisRegistered User regular
    edited February 2010
    SniperGuy wrote: »
    It's on the street so we would park there, but when we've gone to see it it's been spectacularly not crowded. It's in a pretty decent part of down. So that's good. Other things are all good questions I'll have to ask.

    Visit at night (after 10:00 pm) on a Saturday and check the parking and environment. It's amazing how much a neighborhood can change in a few hours.

    Enc on
  • fightinfilipinofightinfilipino Angry as Hell #BLMRegistered User regular
    edited February 2010
    Enc wrote: »
    SniperGuy wrote: »
    It's on the street so we would park there, but when we've gone to see it it's been spectacularly not crowded. It's in a pretty decent part of down. So that's good. Other things are all good questions I'll have to ask.

    Visit at night (after 10:00 pm) on a Saturday and check the parking and environment. It's amazing how much a neighborhood can change in a few hours.

    also, did you check this place out when school is in session and students are around?

    other things to check:

    how near is the place to groceries and other types of shopping?

    are there rodents or other pests? look for signs of droppings, insect and animal traps and bait poison, that sort of thing.

    who else lives in the neighborhood? are there families that won't put up with any noise shenanigans, and would you all be fine with that?

    safety/crime rate? are first floor windows blocked with metal bars, and if so, why?

    fightinfilipino on
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