Rent.com • July 22, 2020

Rookie Mistakes Everyone Makes During Their First Move

Moving for the first time? Even if you think you know it all, you probably aren't quite ready. A move, no matter how far, typically involves a lot of moving parts. And moving mistakes.

Rent.com • May 21, 2020

3 Things to Know About Subtenants

A subtenant isn't a "less-than" tenant. Subtenants are simply tenants renting underneath the unit's original tenant, called the primary tenant. In contrast, primary tenants rent directly from a landlord or property owner.

Rent.com • May 19, 2020

3 Things to Know About Subleases

Subleases are a little-known part of renting where the primary tenant leases their unit to another tenant underneath the existing lease agreement. Primary lease agreements are between the property owner and a tenant while subleases are between two tenants. There are pros and cons of subleasing, and it's important that you're well-researched if you're considering it.

Rent.com • May 14, 2020

3 Things to Know About Suburban Areas

Suburban areas are groupings of neighborhoods located outside of major, urban cities yet still within commute distance. Suburban areas are distinctly different from rural areas because rural areas are typically extremely far away from any cities at all. Suburban areas are not densely compacted like the city but they don't typically have much open space.

Rent.com • May 12, 2020

3 Things to Know About Sublease Agreements

A sublease agreement is a legal document governing a sublease. Sublease agreements are important because they protect all parties involved from fraud and undesirable living conditions. Subleasing is possible without a sublease agreement, but that's a very unwise idea.

Rent.com • May 11, 2020

3 Things to Know About Senior Apartments

Many people think apartments are a place where young, single people live. However, apartments come in all shapes, sizes and forms, like apartments that cater only to seniors. Senior apartments are units designed specifically to accommodate seniors' living needs.

Rent.com • April 3, 2020

3 Things to Know About Apartment Security Deposits

An apartment security deposit is a fee paid to the property owner by the renter at the outset of a lease agreement. Apartment security deposits protect the landlord against serious loss. Renters are encouraged to take better care of the property and follow through with their agreement by putting money down as collateral.

Rent.com • April 2, 2020

3 Things to Know About Section 8

Section 8 is the colloquial name of the Federal Housing Choice Vouchers program that provides housing assistance in the U.S. Section 8 allows landlords to accept government vouchers as payment and is overseen by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Rent.com • April 1, 2020

3 Things to Know About Section 42

Section 42 is a reference to a particular section of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tax code. This section of the tax code offers tax benefits to builders who construct housing for fixed or low-income renters. The purpose of the program is to encourage builders to build housing that’s affordable instead of over saturating the market with luxury rentals.

Rent.com • March 25, 2020

3 Things to Know About RentPay

If you’ve lived in a number of rentals, you’ve probably experienced around the same number of payment arrangements between tenants and property owners. There are so many ways that property owners can accept rent payments, but oftentimes, these methods are unnecessarily complex or force you to go out of your way, wasting important time.

Rent.com • March 24, 2020

3 Things to Know About Renters Insurance

Renters insurance is a special kind of insurance coverage that protects your residence even if you don’t own the building. Unlike homeowners insurance, renters insurance is primarily concerned with the contents of a rented unit, and not the structure of the building itself.

Rent.com • March 23, 2020

3 Things to Know About Rent Stabilization

Rent stabilization is a municipal effort to keep area rent prices from increasing rapidly. It’s different from rent control, though the two are frequently confused. Rent stabilization is a cap on the allowable amount for rents to increase each year, while rent control refers to a number of other tactics used to maintain rent affordability.

Rent.com • March 20, 2020

3 Things to Know About Rent Control

Rent control is a type of state-run program aiming to keep rent costs within a reasonable range. In certain places, especially where housing is in extremely high demand, rent costs can go up very quickly if these measures aren’t put into place.

Sundae • March 17, 2020

What Documents Do I Need to Sell My House?

If you think that selling your home on the traditional real estate market is straightforward and simple, you may be in for a surprise. Selling a home requires a ton of prep-work and, you guessed it, paperwork.

Rent.com • March 13, 2020

3 Things to Know About Quiet Enjoyment

Quiet enjoyment sounds like the ideal term to describe a rental situation, but it actually has a specific legal meaning. Quiet enjoyment is the agreement between renters and property owners that assures a safe unit, free of disruptions or issues that inhibit living. Quiet enjoyment is not an agreement that promises absolute silence. Instead, it’s a promise to provide housing disturbance-free and hostility-free.

Rent.com • March 12, 2020

3 Things to Know About Public Housing Agencies

A Public Housing Agency (PHA) is the office responsible for handling localized public housing benefits for the surrounding areas. PHAs have many purposes, all relating to the Federal Housing Choice Vouchers Program.

Rent.com • March 10, 2020

3 Things to Know About Property Management Companies

A property management company is a firm tasked with the management and day-to-day operation of a rental property, though the firm itself does not own the property.

Rent.com • March 10, 2020

3 Things to Know About Apartment Property Managers

A property manager is a hired staff that takes on many of the same functions as a landlord but doesn’t necessarily own the property. Functions of a property manager include accepting rent payments, handling necessary maintenance and vetting potential tenants.

Sundae • March 9, 2020

How to Know If It's a Seller's Market

In the real estate world, the terms “buyer’s market” and “seller’s market” get thrown around a lot. But what do these terms mean?

Sundae • March 3, 2020

How Much Does It Cost to Sell a House?

Selling a home is a stressful process for many Americans. When you take into account the packing, moving, and maintaining a show house for prospective buyers, it’s all a lot to handle. To top it off, most sellers face a ton of hidden costs along the way.