I signed a 12 month lease for $836 for 14 months back in 12/05. They gave me a discounted price of $800 month for 14 months as a "special" now I got a renewal lease offer and they put $849 for 12 months with $150 off if I renew by 1/18/07. The rate is an extra $49/month this year. I found an apartment forum where someone said three months ago that they are mad that they increased their rates to $784/month and they have the same 2br/2bath apt as us! I'm getting hosed. My wife and I like it here. anyone have any experience negotiating successfully with the apartment manager?
apartment renter question
- Thread starter Cutehumor
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That's cheap.
Like the owner's costs didn't go up? Property tax, insurance, maint., utilities(?), bad renters, etc....
Like the owner's costs didn't go up? Property tax, insurance, maint., utilities(?), bad renters, etc....
Make sure you're talking apples-to-apples regarding square footage. The last building I lived in had different layouts scattered througout the building. My next door neighbor had a considerably cheaper unit than mine because it was smaller.
I would think that there should be some negotiation. There is a lot of wear and tear moving renters in and out. It would be a benefit for them to keep "good" renters. Now hopefully you have the upper hand where you could point out, the low impact of your existence (ie your place is clean and you are great payers and no trouble)
Otherwise, go out and look for something else have several properties ready and then give them the 30 day notice.
This is my plan, as I want to stay where I'm at at least 1 more year (I still haven't gotten myself together yet) so I know I'm going to be a rent for at least 1-2 more years.
Otherwise, go out and look for something else have several properties ready and then give them the 30 day notice.
This is my plan, as I want to stay where I'm at at least 1 more year (I still haven't gotten myself together yet) so I know I'm going to be a rent for at least 1-2 more years.
JHZR2
Staff member
apartment companies are crooks a lot of times, even if they have very nice places.
Often you pay a bit more for the demographics of the population, though nobody can say so much in words... so they do in price.
JMH
Often you pay a bit more for the demographics of the population, though nobody can say so much in words... so they do in price.
JMH
In some parts of the country, there is an apartment glut.
Discounts, free months rent, extra this, free that.
Check around, perhaps you are offered a good deal.
Keeping a good renter is hard work sometimes; rental owners will go the distance to keep units filled.
Discounts, free months rent, extra this, free that.
Check around, perhaps you are offered a good deal.
Keeping a good renter is hard work sometimes; rental owners will go the distance to keep units filled.
I wish my apt complex would offer me $150 off.
http://www.apartmentratings.com/rate/TX-Dallas-Towne-Square-Apartments.html
I wrote review #1. Pretty handy website, although I strongly suspect a member of management wrote review #4 on 5/5/04. They actually called me at home to ask if I wrote the first one, to which I replied #@$%! YES.
I wrote review #1. Pretty handy website, although I strongly suspect a member of management wrote review #4 on 5/5/04. They actually called me at home to ask if I wrote the first one, to which I replied #@$%! YES.
It's all relative. It's over $2100 where I live for a 3 bedroom apartment. Many apartments use this trick, give you a low first year that is heavily discounted and then stick it to you the next year. It's the standard in California. Punish your long time customers. They are banking on the fact that you won't want the hassle of moving and you will stay put. I had an apartment out here about 7 years ago and it went from $850 to $1100 after the first year. You can threaten to move, that is about all you can do. Depending on the market they may understand that having an apartment not rented for 2 months will hurt them more than being able to jack up the rent on the next guy.
Not saying renters are evil. I mean look at housing prices. They are always going up. Plus utility rates have risen and they have to pay for all the lighting for the parking lots etc. Your only way out is to buy and lock yourself in. But, if you are like most people you are probably hosed and are priced out of the market. I think only 18% of people can actually afford a 30 year mortgage in CA now. That is why you are seeing so many Interest only, 50 year mortgages, and (gasp) negative amortization loans this way. Watch out when the market gets soft though, it's going to be foreclosure city. Someone who has no interest or equity in a property won't feel so bad if they have to walk away from their house.
Not saying renters are evil. I mean look at housing prices. They are always going up. Plus utility rates have risen and they have to pay for all the lighting for the parking lots etc. Your only way out is to buy and lock yourself in. But, if you are like most people you are probably hosed and are priced out of the market. I think only 18% of people can actually afford a 30 year mortgage in CA now. That is why you are seeing so many Interest only, 50 year mortgages, and (gasp) negative amortization loans this way. Watch out when the market gets soft though, it's going to be foreclosure city. Someone who has no interest or equity in a property won't feel so bad if they have to walk away from their house.
I am glad you weren't burned alive. I have never had that happen, but I have had the reverse - fire alarms going off 3 or 4 times in the middle of the night for no reason. I can commiserate with the management thing, I had management change at my apartment complex every quarter. Every time they got less responsive. lowest bidder prevails.
Those a**holes will lie right to your face. I'm so glad I don't have that to deal with anymore. I complained the entire time I lived there that the ceiling above my car in the parking garage leaked nasty, concrete-filled water all over my car whenever it rained. The property 'director' said he couldn't understand that, as he had someone on his maintenance team put Thompson's Concrete Sealer on it. I couldn't believe he was that stupid...or that evasive. When's the last time you saw someone fix cracks in a concrete structure with Thompson's? I finally lost my patience with that place and swore off apartment living forever. The biotch next door is lucky I didn't let out her tires for playing loud music every morning at 4:30, since she didn't respond to repeated management requests, on top of repeated requests from me. If you want to know just how badly the general public sucks, live in an apartment.
Correction..management wrote review #2, just days after I wrote mine. How lame.
Correction..management wrote review #2, just days after I wrote mine. How lame.
my apartment has a 83% approval rating on that website, it's the second highest rating in this suburb. there is actually only three layouts for this apartment I'm staying in.
1 br/1 bath
2br/2bath 1060 square foot
3 br/2bath
comparing apples to apples, this girl is paying $782 for 2br/2bath, but my renewal is for $849
http://www.apartmentratings.com/rate/TN-Antioch-Pinnacle-Heights-Apartments-531928.html
We did have change in management sometime this past summer too
1 br/1 bath
2br/2bath 1060 square foot
3 br/2bath
comparing apples to apples, this girl is paying $782 for 2br/2bath, but my renewal is for $849
http://www.apartmentratings.com/rate/TN-Antioch-Pinnacle-Heights-Apartments-531928.html
We did have change in management sometime this past summer too
in the grand scheme of things, I can afford $49 increase a month. but this is the 3rd time within three weeks that I got an increase in bills. Apartment lease going up, my job changed health insurance companies for 2007 so my premiums are going up $40/month, and my car insurance with progressive went up an additional $125/6months because of "rising costs with hospitals/legal bills" with no tickets/accidents on our part. I maybe a little insensitive since they stuck this apartment renewal rate increase on my door on the 12/20 "Merry christmas were raising your rent"
Not only that I'm paying my wife's full time tuition to go to nursing school and she doesn't work. My job decreased my pay by decreasing my shifts on the weekend. With xmas bills coming in next month. I'm starting to feel the pinch.
Not only that I'm paying my wife's full time tuition to go to nursing school and she doesn't work. My job decreased my pay by decreasing my shifts on the weekend. With xmas bills coming in next month. I'm starting to feel the pinch.
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