In our market over the last 2-3 years, there have been a lot of people renting homes and condos as they wait for the market to recover. Others have been forced to rent due to short sales or foreclosure.
If you are a renter and plan to do so for an extended period of time, don’t be afraid to negotiate with your future landlord. There are a number of terms you can change. The goal is not to create animosity with the person collecting your rent, but to establish a common ground on a fair lease price and term.
One of the best ways you can reduce rent is by offering an longer lease term. For example, if the rent is $1500 per month for a 12 month lease, offer $1,250 for a 24 month lease. It doesn’t hurt to ask; they say “you can’t get what you don’t ask for”!
