What Tenants Do Behind Your Back | American Apartment Owners Association.

Don’t you ever wonder what some of your more unusual residents might be doing behind their closed front doors?   Here are a few true stories to get your imagination going!   Of course, you may lay awake night after night worrying — it is the property manager’s way…

Renters, get a glimpse of just a few of the problems on your property manager’s plate.  Remember this article next time you call her/him — they might just be dealing with a marijuana-farm problem.  Give them time — they will get back to you.

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I recently read a blog article which stated approximately 2/3rds of all “robberies” occur in the form of  scams — everything from fake charities to “not-quite-what-you-expected” Internet purchases.

Sounds like an urban myth to me, but in this day and age, who knows?  Which is why the article below is worth reading.  It is a verifiable scam, one which occurs regularly all over the world.  Losses in our single industry are potentially astronomic!

This writer lost $565.00 in a single transaction. Read on to find out how and why… Then realize the next time, it could be you.

I was stressed, rushing to make last-minute lodging arrangements for a three-stop writing trip to Europe, when it appeared on Craigslist: the perfect apartment for my first stop in London. A tiny studio in Notting Hill for just £45, or $73, a night.

I hadn’t been in London since I was a boy, so I shot the link around to some friends to ask about the location. Great neighborhood, they said. Take it.

via Burned! A London Vacation Rental Scam – NYTimes.com.

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A big city like Chicago is riddled with bad apartment landlords. So before you sign below the dotted line, it’s important that you’re certain of not taking over a place that’s owned by a heartless, rotten, scamming property owner who’s out to victimize unsuspecting renters. You might like the apartment or condo, but if you’re going to have to deal with a landlord who’s going to take advantage of you, then it’s not worth it.

via Warnings Signs of a Bad Landlord | Apartment Vigilantes.

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I do disagree with the statement, “You can find out all the information before spending your time going to each apartment building.”  You can find out a lot online, but not everything.

You definitely want to  visit your top three options, and physically go into the actual apartment you would be occupying.

In St. Louis apartments, there can be a big difference between a community’s display apartment and the unit you will physically occupy  — words of wisdom  from the Apartment Search experts!

There are many benefits to search for a new apartment over the internet; this is because you can find out all the information before spending your time going to each apartment building.

via Apartment Hunting Internet Style | Free Financial Today.

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Aaah, Splash Day is the perfect combination of (mild) human suffering, rewarded with humane generosity.  Stop by and drop off a few bucks this Saturday. Or just send a check — that’s what Apartment Search is doing! (Address is on the attached link).

Splash Day is Coming!

Village Green’s annual fundraiser, Splash Day, first began 19 years ago with a dare. Because we traditionally open our apartment community pools in early April, often before swimming-friendly weather, a manager accepted a dare to take the plunge, but only if pledges were made for donations to a worthy cause.

Since then, Village Green has donated up to $50,000 a year to various charities with Splash Day efforts from each of its regions. Our goal is to raise pledges for the St. Louis -based “Friends of Kids with Cancer” – http://www.friendsofkids.com/

via Facebook | Splash Day.

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You can remove yourself — click on the Privacy button on the bottom right and follow instructions.  Veddy interesting!

People Search | White Pages | Phone Book | FREE!.

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There are actually many how-to-rent guides all over the Internet that will walk you step-by-step throughout the process.  Or call a local rental locator service — their knowledge and expertise can cut down on your research requirements dramatically.

If you have children who live with you, the location of your property is going to play a huge role in finding your new home. Before deciding the area in which you want to live, you will want to check out the schools located in that district. You also want to look at the commuting distance from your childrens’ school and your work. It would be a major hassle if you ended up choosing an area that was far from work.

Making sure the neighborhood is safe is also a major factor that many homeowners will want to look into. Most cities have crime reports available to the public that will allow you to realize which neighborhoods are safe, and which ones are not. You can also get a good idea by just walking around the area. If most houses have bars on the windows and their cars locked in the garage, the area is most likely not that safe. It should be easy to tell if the neighborhood is okay for you and your family.

After you have found an area you feel is right for you, it is now time to see what homes are availabe on the local market. Choose a number of homes that look good and schedule appointments to look around. A great place to start is with a locator — they will usually have a variety of listings for your consideration. When you are looking at the homes, make sure to ask the landlord or leasing company as many questions as possible.

If their is anything noticeable that needs to be fixed, make sure the landlord is willing to fix it before you move in. Be very picky when looking at the condition of the property. Look around the bathroom and kitchen floors,walls, and ceilings for signs of rot, mold, or mildew. Make sure the flooring in all rooms is in decent condition and the walls as well. If carpet and/or paint is destroyed ask the landlord if they are willing to repair any damages before you move in.

So overall the condition of the home, the district it is located, and the safety of the neighborhood are three major factors you should consider before renting your next home.

Posted by Evan Bedard on October 21, 2009

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Lately, we’ve really gotten caught in the middle with our private listings — outrageous offers coming in on units already grossly underpriced. So renters, here’s a different perspective, a little food for thought.

I recently read an apartment community in Las Vegas was offering 5 months free rent. Yikes! Pretty soon, they’ll be paying people to move in… The question is, how much longer can landlords offer 40 percent off, and stay in business? Not long.

Today’s renters are well informed and sophisticated. They don’t hesitate to negotiate down to the lowest possible rental rate. And I agree — it is the savvy renter’s job to get the best possible deal.

But sooner or later, renters have to realize it may ultimately cost them. Since 2008, we have seen a steady wave of renters forced to relocate because their landlords wound up in foreclosure.

Free rent is great, but if the end result is moving in a couple of months with little or no notice, it’s definitely not so great — not for the renter, the community, the local economy, you, or me.

So go after that great deal, but consider whether your landlord will have enough money left over after the mortgage, taxes and insurance to keep up the maintenance (or replace your furnace come next February). And remember the old adage — if it’s too good to be true, it probably is…

Kathryn Wood
Founder and CEO
Apartment Search, Inc.

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I got the entertainment started with a Karaoke rewrite of the Beach Boys’ “Kokomo” — ‘Off the Mississippi, there’s a place called St. Louis, MO. It’s where you want to go to get the best deals of all…’ What I lacked in skill I made up for in enthusiasm.

West Point outdid me with a darling skit based on Dr. Seuss’s ‘Green Eggs and Ham’ — you go, Lisa, you and your talented staff! I’ll get a copy of it, and share later.

Then Fieldpointe jumped in with their own rendition of “My Boss’ (No muscle-bound man can take me away from my boss…). Champika, you really have a winning team there. That Leslie can sing! And I hear they close as well as they croon.

Lots of eats, a couple of drinks, and German chocolate cake to die for (thank you, Lubely’s Bakery!). A few hours to stop, relax, sing and dance, to catch up and enjoy a little out-of-the office bonding. No business, just fun, fun, fun.

I always say I love this industry, but what I really love are the incredible people in it — dedicated, hardworking, caring people who tirelessly give more than they get. You guys are so great! Thank you for coming to our party. And, hey, start thinking about a skit for next year…

Kathryn Wood
Founder and CEO
Apartment Search, Inc.

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I am going to pick up the German chocolate cake myself at Lubely’s.  Last year, MacArthur’s blew it by sending a yellow cake, so I’m not taking any chances this year. 

If there is a piece missing, I was just testing for quality assurance — only the best for our St. Louis relocation and apartment industry guests.   And it is my favorite…

We look forward to toasting and roasting the women and men who give so selflessly and tirelessly all year long to the St. Louis apartment industry.  See you all there!

Kathryn Wood, Founder and CEO

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