Top 5 Things to Look for when Renting a Property

Choosing a home for rent can be confusing and a little daunting, especially if you are doing it for the very first time. While it may seem like an easy task to walk into a property, say you like it and then walk back out again, there are a few things that you want to look for when renting a property, before you sign on the dotted line. With that being said, read on below for the top five things to look for when you are looking to rent a home.

Security Precautions

One of the biggest things to look for in any rental property you are considering is security precautions. Not only is this important for your safety, but it can also have a huge impact on your renter’s insurance policy. Make sure to check the deadlocks, door and window locks before you decide to rent the property and then head out to get insurance on the contents.

Storage Options

Inspect the property carefully to ensure that it has enough storage options that you won’t feel crowded and cramped. Remember, that snowboard or your extensive book collection will not look good in the middle of the living room. It’s important to know if there is going to be enough room to store the stuff that you don’t use all of the time as storage units can get pretty expensive.

Make Sure It’s Clean

It is possible that the property you are looking to rent is being rented just the way it sits. Don’t agree to take the property before you inspect it for cleanliness. Check everything from the baseboards to the yard for junk and other stuff that need cleaning. Make sure that you ask the property management company that you are renting the property from to do the cleaning. If they refuse, then it is probably in your best interest to move onto another company to rent your home from.

Check the Heating and Air

When renting a home, there is nothing worse than signing on the dotted line and then finding out that heat or air is not included. While in most states, air conditioning is not required to be had by the landlord, heat is. Check the types of heating and cooling included in the rental and always check to ensure if they work. If they don’t, then get a firm timeline on when the problem will be taken care of.

Gas or Electricity?

One of the top things to check when looking for a rental property is whether it is equipped with gas or electricity. Either is fine, but you need to know so that you can make arrangements to have them turned on.

These are just a few of the things you should look for when you are trying to rent a property for the first time, or anytime, for that matter. If you are searching for a reputable property management company to rent your property from be sure to check out the professionals at Benefit National Property Management today.