Wednesday | May 23, 2012
Can You Negotiate the Price of Your Apartment Rental?
| Rate Center | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Today's Average Rates Across the Country* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By
Veronica Davis
11 June 2010
More often than not, you’re in a rush when you’re looking for the perfect apartment. It isn’t the easiest thing in the world to find that perfect apartment that is within your means of affording. So when you find something that is perfect and is within or almost within your budget, you want to snatch it up. Fast. But what if there’s something in the lease that isn’t exactly favorable? What if you could get that same apartment at a lower price? I bet you wouldn’t be so quick to sign the dotted line immediately, right?
After you’ve signed the contract, you’re bound to it. That’s that. There’s no room for negotiation and you can’t just decide you don’t want to go through with it (well you could, but you’ll probably pay pretty little fee for it). So before you pick up the pen, take the time to actually read and understand what you’re signing. If there’s something you don’t like or if you would like to try to get it a little cheaper, you can often times do just that – believe it or not.
Trust
Take a little time to get to know the landlord some. Are they the owner? Are they management for the complex? Getting to know his likes/dislikes, history, pet peeves and dealings he’s had with tenants in the past will help you bargain with him. At the same time, let him get to know you some. Just be yourself and be courteous. When you accomplish these tasks, you have the benefit of a little bit of trust between you and him – something many potential tenants simply won’t have.
Setting
Never attempt to negotiate lease terms while other possible tenants are around. See if you can schedule a time to privately meet with the landlord. Of course, make sure you actually qualify for the apartment before trying to negotiate anything.
Presentation
When you meet with him to discuss his apartments for rent, be ready to explain why your proposed changes are appropriate. If you have a wonderful rent history and are always a good tenant then you get brownie points and extra bargaining power. Be sure he’s aware of how good a tenant you are, nut do it nicely.
If you follow these simple steps, you’ll greatly increase the odds of getting the rental terms changed. Stay flexible and see if there’s a middle ground that can both agree on. Also, it’s important to note that if you do succeed in getting the changes you want that you get those changes in writing. Don’t settle for a verbal ‘ok’ If you do, you could end up in hot water later.
Veronica Davis is a freelance copywriter for businesses online. She works extensively with a number of real estate related sites and realtors, helping them with their website content, blogs, social media and marketing. She has worked with a large range of clients over the years, from helping small site owners establish a profitable presence online to blogging for Planet Green.
Tag Cloud
Financial help Center
Newsletter Sign Up
Enter to win a Young Money Career Package by signing up for our newletter.
I can empathize with your new client. As a child, as for many years as an adult, I had no real confidence in myself, regardless of accomplishments. When I was a child, my parents tried to teach me the lesson of the ‘Little Engine That Could.’ As you recall, it could because it though it could. Whenever they told me that, I say: “but I don’t think I can”, as that was a far as it ever went.
When I was in college I read a science fiction novel in which the main character (if I recall, I don’t really remember the details) was consumed by fear. So he learned this small poem, which I memorized and said it over and over to myself:
“I must not fear.
Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain.”
Recently I looked it up. It is from a book by Frank Herbert in the Dune series. Regardless of its origins, it really helped me; it helped that I memorized it and repeated it to myself a million times a day.
Well, there are other things that helped my in conquering fear and in ability to be confident, but that was one of the first steps.