Assumptions that Renters Should Never Make About Their Landlords

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Renters tend to go into the whole apartment thing with some idea of what it's all about. They have certain expectations of what an apartment looks like and what a landlord is and does. Sometimes those expectations turn into false assumptions about their landlord, which in turn can lead to pretty big communication problems. Here's some of the big ones that renters should leave behind, lest they get a nasty surprise.

They're a cigar-chomping, Mercedes-driving fat guy in a suit.

Landlords come in all shapes and sizes. Your landlord could be a big company with a board of trustees and stockholders. They could be a multi-national conglomerate based on another continent. They could be a local property management company - or a local church. They can be members of any profession, any age, any political affiliation, and any gender.

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Published by

Kay Cleaves

Are you really sure you can pull off a Super Bowl Party in your Apartment?

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This Sunday evening we will observe one of the most traditional American rituals (besides the 4th of July) as Carolina faces Denver in Super Bowl 50. Many of us will celebrate the only day of February dedicated to bringing people together to gorge on hot appetizers and cold adult beverages. Take that, President's Day!

Many apartment renters may have grown up with Super Bowl parties at their parents' houses. They may want to relive those great times with ample food and space. But hosting a Super Bowl party in a tiny apartment can be brutal. Without proper planning, party disaster is almost inevitable. You need to plan this stuff like a coach planning a play.

Do not fear: I have put together some questions you should ask yourself before hosting a Super Bowl party in an apartment. You won't find any HGTV Martha Stewart junk here - this is coming from one single male football fan to fellow apartment-dwelling sports fans across the country.

Do I even like football? Or hosting parties?

A great party begins with a great host. A great host answers both these questions with an enthusiastic "YES," and so do all their roommates. There's no bigger  buzzkill than having someone's grumpy roommate complaining through the whole thing. Negative points for answering “YES! I like football – but for some insane reason Americans call it soccer.”

Is my TV big enough?

Short answer: no, never. Continue reading Are you really sure you can pull off a Super Bowl Party in your Apartment?

Published by

Jon Hoferle

I Was A Terrible Tenant: The Beep & Crash Debacle

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We've all made mistakes when choosing our first apartments. Sometimes those mistakes cause lasting damage. RentConfident exists to help renters avoid some of the more obvious errors that crop up when you rent without doing proper research beforehand. However, I was not always so aware of how to find an apartment. In fact, I made a pretty big mistake in choosing my first apartment in Chicago, and it led to an embarrassing problem that impacted my ability to function at work for years after.

Mistakes Were Made

There was a time back in high school where I could wake up to an alarm clock just fine. I'm a heavy sleeper, but that nasty little beep cut through enough to get me up and out of bed on time. Continue reading I Was A Terrible Tenant: The Beep & Crash Debacle

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Kay Cleaves

Apartment Maintenance Terms (and what they really mean)

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One of the nice things about apartment living is that someone else is responsible for the repairs. However, this is only nice when that person actually makes the repairs. One of the most frustrating experiences as a tenant is to have building management that does not respond to maintenance requests or employs maintenance workers who fix the wrong thing or do not fix anything at all. In cases like these, a person might wonder if the property management staff is speaking a completely different language. Well, maybe they are. Here's a list of maintenance terms... and what they really mean.

  • arrival time window – a span of hours plus or minus several days
  • bucket – 1) toolbox 2) ashtray 3) leak solution
  • caulk – substance to fill all gaps
  • cell phone – voicemail collector
  • circuit breaker panel – inaccessible electric box
  • communication – (meaning unclear)

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Published by

Jon Hoferle

How Great Tenants Blow Apartment Showings Before They Even Arrive

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I showed apartments in Chicago and neighboring suburbs for about 10 years. During that time I saw a lot of renters who totally shot themselves in the feet through lack of prior planning. In fact, they did it so often that I figured there must be some sort of sect of renters who really do not want to get approved for housing.

If you're one of those people who wants to totally blow your chance at getting the right apartment, you need to start early in the process. Based on my real life experience with renters, here's some steps you should be sure to take if you want to utterly fail at apartment hunting before you even arrive at a showing.

  • When you book the appointment, make sure you do so on the same day you want to see it. Pitch a fit if the agent can't get you in. (Bonus points if you complain during the showing about how your own landlord has shown your current apartment without notice.)
  • When booking, do not mention that you're already working exclusively with a tenant-side agent who will not be attending the showing with you, but will expect a commission.
  • Do not bring your third roommate who will be paying 3/4 of the rent.
  • Show the landlord that you've done your homework and know the neighborhood really well by texting 3-4 times en route about how you're "a little lost so sry."

Continue reading How Great Tenants Blow Apartment Showings Before They Even Arrive

Published by

Kay Cleaves