Renter’s Advice and Resources

If you turn on CNN, half the headlines you’ll hear will mention the mortgage crisis and the bailouts that the U.S. government is planning for American homeowners facing foreclosures. But there are a couple of numbers that seem to have gotten lost in the shuffle: while the planned bailouts are being paid out of everyone’s taxes, almost a third of Americans rent their homes. They’re paying into the system, but they aren’t benefiting.

When you move into an apartment complex, you get handed a big stack of papers. In that stack is almost always information on signing up with the local telecommunications and utilities companies. Some even include special deals–group rates that your complex negotiated with the company in question.

How about some cool recipes for hot days? Memorial Day is past so unofficially summer is here. The invitations that conclude with “bring a favorite dish to pass” will soon be arriving. This year, I vow that I am not going to resort to picking up the tub of baked beans or potato salad from the deli. I am going to try interesting alternatives and find new favorites.

Renting a room or apartment from family may sound wonderful at first. Before you pack your bags, why not sleep on it for a little while? Letting the idea sink in and ensuring this is the right thing to do may end up saving you some time and a relationship. This time may also enable you to decide what you are going to do to ensure that your renting relationship is at a business level, securing your personal/family relationship.

In the spirit of loving the earth, let’s explore eco-friendly moving. Please utilize the blog feedback form below to open discussion and share your own ideas on moving without hurting the Earth. You never know who will be reading this! I would hate for you to pass up the opportunity to highlight your brilliant ideas to Oprah’s producers or such who may be reading this as research for the next big show on Earth Day and is looking for guest speakers.

You have narrowed your apartment search down to two possibilities. One is managed by a property management company (PMC), or is a part of a large group of apartment communities (e.g., AMLI, Archstone-Smith, Equity Residential). The other is managed by an individual owner who may own a few properties or just the one rental you’re looking at. Before you sign on the line, you weigh the pros and cons just like you are supposed to. What side of the list does this fall? Is it a pro or a con to rent from an individual landlord?

So, you’ve finally done it. You’ve found the perfect apartment, have the keys in hand, and now it’s time to relax and enjoy the new digs. Of course, the only problem is you don’t have much furniture to sit and relax on. It may make sense to use your credit card to furnish and decorate your new apartment. Here are four reasons why:

Finding a great roommate can be a crucial part in your quality of life. A bad roommate can make living downright miserable. A roommate that you can’t trust can add unwanted stress to your life. Finding a trustworthy, fun roommate is much easier than in the old days where you had to put an ad in the newspaper or hang a flyer on a bulletin board with your phone number on 15 tabs of paper. There are many websites that can assist you in finding exactly what you are looking for.

It sounds like it’s too good to be true. Tax preparers will do your taxes, file them and you will get your tax refund money today. The rent is due, the credit card is carrying a balance too high and the old computer now takes over 10 minutes to boot up. The government has been holding it all year and refund time is like a holiday. April 15th should be a federal holiday and a day off work. Do they really want to stimulate the economy? Above all, that refund money is yours, you deserve it and you shouldn’t have to wait another day, right?