Even in a tight rental market where there can be many qualified tenants for a single property we encourage tenants to ask the questions that will help them to find the best possible property and the
that will work with them over their tenure as a tenant. As you look for properties in Long Beach and nearby cities consider asking these questions of the property management company to help you find the best fit.
If I lose my key what happens? I.e. Are there costs? And what is the turn-around time to get into my place when I’m locked out?
One of the
most common tenant calls
we receive as a property management company is the call that one of our tenants is locked out. Getting locked out has likely happened to all of us at one point in time and the reality is that each property management company can handle the scenario differently. Even if you think this is unlikely to occur it is important you ask. For example consider the following:
- Some keys for condos are “do not duplicate” and can be very expensive
- If a key is lost the lock (vs. locked inside by accident) the home may have to be re-keyed by a locksmith and new keys made
Understanding the costs, prior to signing a lease, for a lost key are essential to having a great working relationship with your property management company.
How old are the appliances?
One of the attractions of the new developments throughout Long Beach is the aspect that everything is new! From new flooring to new appliances because that means you as the renter are unlikely to deal with any hassle related to an appliance not working.
Of course when it comes to renting a single family home in Long Beach you are unlikely to find “brand new” but you are likely to find a great quiet neighborhood which means you might want to inquire about something as common as the appliances. Taking the time to ask the property management company about the age of the appliances can give you an understanding if you might have to deal with any potential hassles. Even knowing the cost isn’t your responsibility, you don’t want to be inconvenienced by the need to repair a refrigerator, dishwasher or oven. If the property management company isn’t sure, consider asking how many service calls they have handled for the appliances for the last tenant as those should all be on record.
How much has the rent increased over the last few years?
Now past performance is certainly not an indication of future gains; however, as a tenant you can certainly ask to see if the property management company will share with you the rental increases. They could give you an average increase for that area instead of being specific to the property and that could work fine as well.
In times of challenge, whether that be financial turmoil or pandemic related scenarios it is common for rents to remain the same; however, in stable economic conditions rents traditionally rise. One reason we suggest you ask about rental increases is to have an understanding for planning your budget. For example if one year your rental amount doesn’t change that is great news; however, even if it rises at an inflationary rate (i.e %1.6-3%) that could mean $84/mo on a $2,800/mo rent at 3% which is something to plan for when you are evaluating rental properties.
Understanding, from the property management company’s perspective how they have raised rent, communicated that raise, etc. can help you to have a better understanding of if you want to rent a property that is managed by them.
As a property management company we field all of these questions, and many more, from potential candidates. When you want to find out how we could alleviate stress, answer tenant questions, and still help you to get top dollar for your Long Beach we invite you to call us today at (562) 888-0247 to hear how we can help. If you want to have a quick check to see how much your property could fetch in rent we invite you to fill out our Free Rental Analysis where we perform a comprehensive comparison to share your rental stacks up to the competition.
