Renter expectations

One of the most important roles as a realtor is to set expectations for rental clients with regards to

• Availability
• Budget
• Turn-around
• Space

Some of the biggest shocks to renters include:

• Having pets drastically reduces what's available.  Large pets narrow the selection even further
• Expecting a landlord to keep a rental vacant for over a month greatly reduces your chance of getting the unit
• Short term leases (less than a year) cost a landlord substantially, both due to lost income from vacancy and the cost of restoring and finding a new renter
• If you've looked at a half a dozen units and everything is way off the mark, then things are very unlikely to improve.

As a realtor it's important to convey this information.  As a renter it's important that your realize that ignoring your realtor's advice will quickly land you without a realtor.  No one likes to be ignored, but more importantly your realtor doesn't want to waste your time and the realtor's time chasing possibilities that will never happen. Finding a rental in {Location_Name} is not always easy. Depending on occupancy rates in a particular area, it actually might be quite difficult to find available rentals that are also within your price range and meet all of your pre-determined requirements. However, even in areas where there is not a great deal of competition for the available rentals, renters may still have some difficulty finding the perfect home.

Figure Out Your Needs

The first step of any rental search should begin with the potential renter carefully identifying all of his/her needs in a home. This list of needs will be different for every renter. While some renters are simply looking for a place to eat, bathe and sleep other renters may be looking for a living space which will serve a number of purposes including working, entertaining and participating in leisure activities or hobbies. Do you need to be close to the Metro? Do you want granite counters? Do you need a washer and dryer in the unit? What is your budget? It is important to prioritize your needs and distinguish between needs and wants because you will probably have to compromise.

Use Our Website

Once a renter has a good idea of the basic features he or she needs in a rental, it is time to use our website to identify neighborhoods, condos, and properties.  This research will give the renter an idea of the types of properties available for rent in Northern Virginia. Many people are shocked by the prices and what is actually available.

Get Our Recommendations

Renters may also help themselves in their search for a rental by seeking recommendations from a rental agent. Our agents know the area and know the market. Once you have identified your needs and wants, we can probably take you directly to your best option. [Read more about rental agents.]