It's beautiful ... a loft Downtown with everything you've ever dreamed of having: hardwood floors, appliances, a view of the city.... but you aren't the only one who dreams of living here. The loft is in a high traffic area, and is in high demand. Here's what you should do to increase your chances of calling that loft home.
1. Dress to impressThe way you dress for an appointment is important. Don't come dressed like "Bosephus, the white trash donut-eater." If you're wearing overalls with chili stains, your landlord might (as hard as he or she tries not to) think less of you. You want to present yourself as responsible, successful and intelligent. (Note: This does not mean you need to dress in a designer suit, buy reading glasses and speak with a British accent. Landlords are picky, they are not stupid.)
2. Be honestIf you absolutely adore the property, there's no need to lie about it. Under other circumstances (i.e. the apartment is NOT under such high demand) you might want to play the "hmmm... maybe I like it maybe I don't" card in order to try to bargain for a lowered rent. However, if you know this apartment may be leased to ten other eager renters, this will only work as a disadvantage. If the landlord thinks you're uncomfortable with the price, he or she can just go with another renter who isn't and cross you off of the list.
3. Come prepared to move inBefore landlords can approve your application, they have to do a background check on your finances, previous landlords/employers etc. This process can be time consuming. Consider coming to your landlord with this information in hand.
Here's what you should bring to the appointment:a) Your credit report.Many landlords have to contact the credit bureau and request your credit report information from them. This takes time, money and energy, and if the landlord is busy, he or she won't want to mess with it. If you already have the report in hand, you earn brownie point number one.
Credit reports can be obtained on line by visiting Move's Credit Center.
b) References - Brownie point number twoTypical applications require potential tenants to fill out contact information for previous landlords and employers. Have this information ready when you go to the appointment and if at all possible, have a recommendation letter from a previous landlord and employer. This will prove to the new landlord that you aren't just full of hot air - that you really are as great a tenant as you seem to be.
c) A check - The final brownie point
What would you do if, on the same day that you went to apply for the apartment, the landlord approves your application? If you provide your landlord with all of the information listed in this article, he or she might do just that. If this happens, you should be fully prepared to write a check or have the cash ready for the initial deposit. If you don't, and the next appointment is with someone who does, who do you think the landlord will rent to? You don't want to lose the apartment because you weren't 100% prepared.
When you're competing with other renters for a unit, the landlord can afford to set his or her standards much higher. If you are willing to work a little harder, your chances of being "the chosen one" will increase ten-fold.
For apartments in New Jersey go to Raritan Crossing. They are pet friendly apartments and New Brunswick NJ apartments. Rentals near Metropark and apartments in Middlesex county. For apartments in central NJ this is the place for you with Apartments in Middlesex County NJ. Raritan Crossing has apartments near metropark, apartments near Rutgers and apartments near Robert Wood Johnson. Central NJ Apartments. After a day of hard work you can relax in your luxury rental apartment and buy undergarments for yourself or your loved one online here. You can check out the women’s clothing undergarment blogs and shapewear here, here, here and here. For shapewear and it’s a great place to buy women’s undergarments
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Sunday, March 15, 2009
How to Find the Right Apartment Without the Stress
Apartment hunting can be a stressful experience, and with good reason. Not only might it require much of your time, but the process can leave you feeling frustrated, disappointed, desperate, or even overwhelmed. For your search to be as effective as possible, you need to try your best to keep stress out of the picture.
Fortunately, this isn't as tough as it sounds. Here are six tips to help you find the right apartment without the stress:
1. Know what you want. Before you venture out there to look at apartments, take the time to decide on what you want in an apartment. Ask yourself questions such as:
How many bedrooms and bathrooms do I need?
How much closet space do I need?
How important is size?
How important is location?
Are any features -- such as a good view, crown moulding, an updated kitchen, or built-in shelves -- important?
Where will I park my car, or where can people who visit me park their cars? Where can I put my bike?
What amenities are important to me? Do I need a doorman, laundry in the building or on the floor, or a fitness center?
Are pets allowed?As you ask yourself these questions, decide what your limits are. For example, if you need to live within walking distance of where you work or go to school, look at a map or actually take a walk around the area so you can decide just how far away you'll look.
Also, think about whether there may be acceptable alternatives for meeting your needs. For example, say you need a lot of storage space. A building that offers a basement storage area to each tenant would perhaps be ideal, but it may not be necessary. If you don't need to access your stuff often, renting space in a nearby self-storage facility might do the trick.
Once you're set on exactly what you're looking for in an apartment, go hunting while keeping all your criteria in mind. Don't waste time checking out listings for apartments that won't fit the bill. For instance, if you must live with your dog, then ask a potential landlord whether she allows pets in her building, or communicate your needs to your broker early on.
2. Stay focused and don't get discouraged. When you start feeling frustrated with your apartment search, don't despair! Instead, stay focused and keep your eye on the prize. Remember just how excited you were when you started your search, and try to visualize how happy you'll be once you find the right place.
Many apartment hunters also get discouraged when they find what they think is the right apartment only to lose out to someone who beat them with an earlier deposit. If this happens to you, tell yourself that it wasn't meant to be, and just keep at it. So many people have stories about how they missed out on their "dream apartment" only to wind up with something even better. Just think that you'll have such a story to tell one day.
3. Set realistic goals and expectations. It's hard to find tenants who can tell you that they found the perfect apartment without much effort. Don't expect anything different for your search, and you won't be disappointed. This way, if you find an apartment immediately, great. If not, you'll just take it in stride and know that it's just a matter of time until you reach your goal.
4. Create a plan of action with your roommates. If you're looking for an apartment with a roommate, discuss what your plan of action is. If you're both too busy to see every listing together, decide how you'll divvy things up. Perhaps you'll alternate the days each of you look at listings, or you'll each be responsible for dealing with different brokers. If only one of you sees an apartment and it passes muster, you can both return to see it again. If you're in a hot market where good apartments tend to go fast, you may decide to go together to visit the ones that strike you as the most promising.
5. Stay organized and take good notes. Once you start to see more than a few apartments, it's easy to get them confused. Stay organized by taking good notes about your apartment hunting efforts. For example, make a chart (by hand or on your computer) that lists the following:
an apartment's address; the broker, owner, or tenant and their contact information; the number of bedrooms and bathrooms; the pros and cons; any promises that were made; and additional notes.Use an accordion file to hold any brochures, advertisements, floorplans, listings, photos, or other printed material you have.
6. Ask questions. Choosing a place to live is a serious matter, so don't be afraid to ask questions. If you don't like the answers you hear or you suspect that your broker or a landlord isn't being honest with you, move on.
For apartments in New Jersey go to Raritan Crossing. They are pet friendly apartments and New Brunswick NJ apartments. Rentals near Metropark and apartments in Middlesex county. For apartments in central NJ this is the place for you with Apartments in Middlesex County NJ. Raritan Crossing has apartments near metropark, apartments near Rutgers and apartments near Robert Wood Johnson. Central NJ Apartments. After a day of hard work you can relax in your luxury rental apartment and buy undergarments for yourself or your loved one online here. You can check out the women’s clothing undergarment blogs and shapewear here, here, here and here. For shapewear and it’s a great place to buy women’s undergarments
Fortunately, this isn't as tough as it sounds. Here are six tips to help you find the right apartment without the stress:
1. Know what you want. Before you venture out there to look at apartments, take the time to decide on what you want in an apartment. Ask yourself questions such as:
How many bedrooms and bathrooms do I need?
How much closet space do I need?
How important is size?
How important is location?
Are any features -- such as a good view, crown moulding, an updated kitchen, or built-in shelves -- important?
Where will I park my car, or where can people who visit me park their cars? Where can I put my bike?
What amenities are important to me? Do I need a doorman, laundry in the building or on the floor, or a fitness center?
Are pets allowed?As you ask yourself these questions, decide what your limits are. For example, if you need to live within walking distance of where you work or go to school, look at a map or actually take a walk around the area so you can decide just how far away you'll look.
Also, think about whether there may be acceptable alternatives for meeting your needs. For example, say you need a lot of storage space. A building that offers a basement storage area to each tenant would perhaps be ideal, but it may not be necessary. If you don't need to access your stuff often, renting space in a nearby self-storage facility might do the trick.
Once you're set on exactly what you're looking for in an apartment, go hunting while keeping all your criteria in mind. Don't waste time checking out listings for apartments that won't fit the bill. For instance, if you must live with your dog, then ask a potential landlord whether she allows pets in her building, or communicate your needs to your broker early on.
2. Stay focused and don't get discouraged. When you start feeling frustrated with your apartment search, don't despair! Instead, stay focused and keep your eye on the prize. Remember just how excited you were when you started your search, and try to visualize how happy you'll be once you find the right place.
Many apartment hunters also get discouraged when they find what they think is the right apartment only to lose out to someone who beat them with an earlier deposit. If this happens to you, tell yourself that it wasn't meant to be, and just keep at it. So many people have stories about how they missed out on their "dream apartment" only to wind up with something even better. Just think that you'll have such a story to tell one day.
3. Set realistic goals and expectations. It's hard to find tenants who can tell you that they found the perfect apartment without much effort. Don't expect anything different for your search, and you won't be disappointed. This way, if you find an apartment immediately, great. If not, you'll just take it in stride and know that it's just a matter of time until you reach your goal.
4. Create a plan of action with your roommates. If you're looking for an apartment with a roommate, discuss what your plan of action is. If you're both too busy to see every listing together, decide how you'll divvy things up. Perhaps you'll alternate the days each of you look at listings, or you'll each be responsible for dealing with different brokers. If only one of you sees an apartment and it passes muster, you can both return to see it again. If you're in a hot market where good apartments tend to go fast, you may decide to go together to visit the ones that strike you as the most promising.
5. Stay organized and take good notes. Once you start to see more than a few apartments, it's easy to get them confused. Stay organized by taking good notes about your apartment hunting efforts. For example, make a chart (by hand or on your computer) that lists the following:
an apartment's address; the broker, owner, or tenant and their contact information; the number of bedrooms and bathrooms; the pros and cons; any promises that were made; and additional notes.Use an accordion file to hold any brochures, advertisements, floorplans, listings, photos, or other printed material you have.
6. Ask questions. Choosing a place to live is a serious matter, so don't be afraid to ask questions. If you don't like the answers you hear or you suspect that your broker or a landlord isn't being honest with you, move on.
For apartments in New Jersey go to Raritan Crossing. They are pet friendly apartments and New Brunswick NJ apartments. Rentals near Metropark and apartments in Middlesex county. For apartments in central NJ this is the place for you with Apartments in Middlesex County NJ. Raritan Crossing has apartments near metropark, apartments near Rutgers and apartments near Robert Wood Johnson. Central NJ Apartments. After a day of hard work you can relax in your luxury rental apartment and buy undergarments for yourself or your loved one online here. You can check out the women’s clothing undergarment blogs and shapewear here, here, here and here. For shapewear and it’s a great place to buy women’s undergarments
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Late charges
Many leases require a late charge if the rent is not paid by a certain date of the month. This charge is supposed to cover the money lost by the landlord as a result of the late payment. Courts will enforce late charges if they are reasonable and spelled out in writing in the lease. The landlord cannot evict based upon nonpayment of late charges unless there is an agreement stating that late charges are to be considered part of the “rent.” Cite: 447 Associates v. Miranda, 115 N.J. 522 (1989). In Section 8 housing, a landlord cannot sue to evict for nonpayment of late charges whether they are called rent or not. See Community Realty Management Company v. Harris, 155 N.J. 212 (1998). Similarly, a public housing authority cannot evict for nonpayment of late charges even if they are called rent. Cite: Housing Authority of the City of Atlantic City v. Taylor, 171 N.J. 580 (2002); Hodges v. Feinstein, 189 N.J. 210 (2007).
Late charges are also not allowed if the tenant did not pay the rent on time because the landlord failed to make needed repairs. Under the Anti-Eviction Act, a tenant who repeatedly pays rent after its due date can be sued for eviction provided that the landlord gives the tenant proper notices. See Chapter 9, The Causes for Eviction. In addition, there is a new law that states when rent must be paid and when landlords can charge a late fee. This statute does not apply to all tenants. It applies only to apartments rented by senior citizens receiving Social Security Old Age Pensions, Railroad Retirement Pensions, or other government pensions in the place of Social Security Old Age Pensions, and by recipients of Social Security Disability Benefits, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), or welfare benefits under Work First New Jersey. Cite: N.J.S.A. 2A: 42-6.1 and 6.3.
The law states that a landlord must allow a tenant a period of “five business grace days” to pay the rent. If a tenant pays the rent in the five-day period, the landlord may not charge a late fee. In counting the five business days, do not include Saturday, Sunday, or a national or state holiday.
If the landlord knows, or should know, that your monthly income regularly does not arrive by a certain day, he should pick a later date that is fair to both of you.
For apartments in New Jersey go to Raritan Crossing. They are pet friendly apartments and New Brunswick NJ apartments. Rentals near Metropark and apartments in Middlesex county. For apartments in central NJ this is the place for you with Apartments in Middlesex County NJ. Raritan Crossing has apartments near metropark, apartments near Rutgers and apartments near Robert Wood Johnson. Central NJ Apartments. After a day of hard work you can relax in your luxury rental apartment and buy undergarments for yourself or your loved one online here. You can check out the women’s clothing undergarment blogs and shapewear here, here, here and here. For shapewear and it’s a great place to buy women’s undergarments
Late charges are also not allowed if the tenant did not pay the rent on time because the landlord failed to make needed repairs. Under the Anti-Eviction Act, a tenant who repeatedly pays rent after its due date can be sued for eviction provided that the landlord gives the tenant proper notices. See Chapter 9, The Causes for Eviction. In addition, there is a new law that states when rent must be paid and when landlords can charge a late fee. This statute does not apply to all tenants. It applies only to apartments rented by senior citizens receiving Social Security Old Age Pensions, Railroad Retirement Pensions, or other government pensions in the place of Social Security Old Age Pensions, and by recipients of Social Security Disability Benefits, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), or welfare benefits under Work First New Jersey. Cite: N.J.S.A. 2A: 42-6.1 and 6.3.
The law states that a landlord must allow a tenant a period of “five business grace days” to pay the rent. If a tenant pays the rent in the five-day period, the landlord may not charge a late fee. In counting the five business days, do not include Saturday, Sunday, or a national or state holiday.
If the landlord knows, or should know, that your monthly income regularly does not arrive by a certain day, he should pick a later date that is fair to both of you.
For apartments in New Jersey go to Raritan Crossing. They are pet friendly apartments and New Brunswick NJ apartments. Rentals near Metropark and apartments in Middlesex county. For apartments in central NJ this is the place for you with Apartments in Middlesex County NJ. Raritan Crossing has apartments near metropark, apartments near Rutgers and apartments near Robert Wood Johnson. Central NJ Apartments. After a day of hard work you can relax in your luxury rental apartment and buy undergarments for yourself or your loved one online here. You can check out the women’s clothing undergarment blogs and shapewear here, here, here and here. For shapewear and it’s a great place to buy women’s undergarments
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