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Apartment Living / Rental: Most Popular Articles

These articles are the most popular over the last month.
Sample Letter of Employment
More landlords are getting smart about cracking down on this type of fraud by taking the simple step of asking tenants to verify the employment information they include in their rental application. If your employer isn't used to complying with this type of request, it can be helpful to give your employer sample language to adapt and use.
How to Break a Lease
People often have valid reasons for breaching a contract, and you may have a good excuse for wanting to get out of your lease. If you must break your lease, the key is to avoid -- or at least limit -- a penalty from your landlord.
Letter of Employment
What is a letter of employment and how do you get one?
How to Create a Budget
Nearly everyone can benefit from a budget. Whether you're trying to climb out of debt or deciding how to enjoy a surplus, a budget puts you in control.
Download Budget Templates
If you own Microsoft Word or Excel, free budget templates are just a click away!
Letter of Employment Requests
Many landlords require a letter of employment from prospective tenants. Here's how to get this handled promptly.
Fixed-Term or Month-to-Month
The type of rental arrangement you choose is a key component to consider when looking for an apartment.
Find an Apartment
Here are essential tools, resources, and information that will help you find an apartment you can happily and proudly call home.
How to Find a Good Roommate
Many people prefer living with a roommate, and indeed there are compelling reasons for doing so. However, if you're not careful, roommates can also create problems.
Rodent Control for Squeamish
Many renters get grossed out at the thought of having to deal with trapped mice and rat remains. Here are some options.
Find Apartments Without Stress
For your apartment search to be as effective as possible, you need to try your best to keep stress out of the picture. Fortunately, this isn't as tough as it sounds.
Negotiate Rent
Although it probably never hurts to try talking a landlord into lowering the rent, there are certain situations in which you're most likely to be successful.
Deal With a Bad Neighbor
When you live in an apartment, you're almost sure to have many people living around you. A neighbor can turn out to be a big help or even become your friend. But if a neighbor starts causing problems, it doesn't mean you need to pack up and move to a house in the suburbs.
Guarantors FAQ
Guarantors FAQ
Roommates Who Don't Pay Rent
Many tenants who split rent with roommates think they're okay as long as they pay the landlord their own share of the rent each month. The thinking is that if a roommate comes up short, then only the roommate would be liable to the landlord and possibly face eviction. If this is how you've been thinking, read on.
Renter's insurance cost
How much does renter's insurance cost
Find Apartments at Lower Rents
If you earn below HUD's income limits, you may qualify for apartments at privately owned buildings at lower rents. But how do you find these apartment buildings? Thanks to an online government database, your new home may be just a few mouse clicks away.
What's "Broom Clean"?
The term broom clean has become the standard real estate lingo for the condition in which a landlord should expect a tenant to leave her apartment. Read some guidance on what this term means.
Renter's Insurance FAQ
Renter's Insurance FAQ
Pay Sublease Rent to Tenant
If you're subletting an apartment, always pay your share of the rent to the tenant -- not to the landlord.
To Live With Roommates or Not?
If you need help deciding whether to live with a roommate, consider the common reasons why people choose one route over the other.
Pay Rent by Credit or Check
Many landlords now offer tenants the option of paying their rent by credit card. However, it's not the right choice for everyone. Read about the reasons why you should pay your rent with a credit card versus a check.
Types of Mouse Traps
Which type of mouse trap is the best one to buy? Read about each major type of mouse trap on the market, and then make your own decision.
Best Roommates
Find out which types of current relationships are most likely to make for good roommate relationships, and which ones may be more challenging.
Roommate Candidate Questions
Getting the answers to your questions will help you feel completely comfortable about living with a roommate candidate before you decide to sign a lease.
Singling Out Children
Given the law's protection for families with children, you might wonder why so many landlords appear to get away with adopting and enforcing rules that single out children.
Federal law protected classes
What are the protected classes under federal law
When to Prorate Rent
If you don't move into your new apartment until the middle of a month, you may be entitled to owe rent for just part of that month. Find out when your landlord should prorate your first month's rent.
Protected Classes FAQ
Read answers to commonly asked questions about the types of people housing discrimination laws protect.
Roommate Agreements
The time to think about and agree on issues with your roommate is before you sign a lease.
Who is usually a guarantor?
Who usually signs a lease as a guarantor
Get Moving Questions Answered
Be prepared for your move by getting answers to questions about your new building. If you don't have all the information you need, you may have to reschedule moving at the last minute or face some other inconvenience that will only add to your stress.
Electronic Traps
Electronic traps kill mice by delivering a high voltage shock.
Tax credit property
Definition of tax credit property
Tax Credit Housing FAQ
Read answers to commonly asked questions about the federal low-income housing tax credit program.
Disability Rights
Read a handy summary of what a landlord must and mustn't do when it comes to dealing with prospects or tenants who have a disability.
Glue Traps
Glue traps work by capturing a mouse after it steps onto a sticky board or tray.
Roommate Compatibility
When it comes to finding the right roommate, don't forget that compatibility is more important than likeability.
Roommate Candidate Meetings
When you go to meet a roommate candidate, you should be focused on making sure the meeting is effective while prioritizing your personal safety.
Rent based on income?
Is the rent based on my income
Keep Pests Away
Many people pay attention to mice, cockroaches, ants, and other pests only once they've become a problem. By adopting clean lifestyle habits, you can help keep unwanted critters and rodents out of your apartment for good.
Save money
How can I save money on renter's insurance
Snap Traps
The snap trap has been the most popular type of mouse trap for over a century.
How to Approach Neighbors
If you treat your neighbor like an enemy, you certainly can't expect a positive response.
Say No to Self-Help Evictions
Landlords who want to evict a tenant are often anxious to do so. But landlords who ignore eviction laws are engaging in an illegal "self-help eviction."
What to tell guarantors?
What should I tell someone who's considering being my guarantor
What's the tax credit program?
What's the tax credit program
Live Traps
You use a live trap to capture a mouse in your apartment and then release it outside.
Precautions With Fumigators
If you rush to use a fumigator without taking the right precautions, you may solve your pest problem at the heavy price of health issues and property damage.
Outgoing Message When Alone
If you live in an apartment without roommates, protect yourself against crime by not advertising the fact you live alone on your outgoing answering machine or voicemail message.[/p]
Fair Housing Act
Definition of Fair Housing Act
Avoid Illegal Steering
Some landlords practice a form of discrimination known as steering, which refers to when a landlord tries to limit a renter's housing choices by guiding or encouraging the person to look elsewhere, based on a protected characteristic.
Advice from Housing Counselors
HUD sponsors housing counseling agencies throughout the country that provide information and tips for renters. Thanks to this initiative, free or low-cost rental housing advice is just a phone call away.
Multiple Apartment Searches
A handy Web service lets you enter your search criteria just once for several popular apartment search sites.
Drug or Alcohol Addiction
If you're an alcoholic or have a drug addiction, you may be concerned that this will cause you problems in your apartment search. Here's what you need to know about how the law protects you.
What's a Disability?
What Kind of Disability Is Protected Against Discrimination?
What's a guarantor?
What's a guarantor
No guarantor?
What if I can't find a guarantor
Choose to Have a Roommate
Before you jump on the roommate bandwagon, make sure you're doing it for the right reasons and that it's what you want.
How to Prorate Apartment Rent
If an apartment you wish to rent will be ready before the first of the month, you and your landlord may agree to start your lease earlier. Here's how to calculate the "prorated rent" that you should pay in this situation.
Check Lease Before Pets
Tenants who never intended to own a pet sometimes change their mind in the middle of the lease term and suddenly have the desire for canine or feline companionship. If you find yourself in this situation, don't let your enthusiasm get in the way of checking whether your landlord allows pets and, if so, what rules tenants who own pets must follow.
Getting Landlord Results
If you find yourself needing your landlord's attention, the last thing you want is to wait weeks for a response.
Have Post Office Hold Mail
Whether you have to leave your apartment for business, pleasure, or even an emergency, make sure your mail stays secure and that you won't be greeted with an overflowing mailbox upon your return by having your post office hold your mail.
Apartment Living / Rental - QuickTips
An index of QuickTips for the Apartment Living / Rental guide site.
Playground Safety Book
Playgrounds are fun, but they also can be dangerous, which is why it's so important for kids to learn about playground safety at a young age.
Ask Landlord to Fix Thermostat
If you suspect a problem with your thermostat, ask the landlord to check it out.
Roommates and Politics
If you don't share the same political views with your roommate, it could lead to strife. But there's no reason people of different political persuasions can't live together.
What about sexual orientation?
What about sexual orientation? Is that a protected class
What is "familial status"?
What does familial status cover
Get Your Own Shower Curtain
If your apartment comes with a shower curtain, it's probably best to toss it and buy a new one. Read why.
What is a "protected class"?
What is a protected class
Need a guarantor?
How will I know if I need a guarantor
What's a co-signer?
Is a co-signer the same thing as a guarantor
Can I suggest a guarantor?
Can I suggest to a landlord that I get a guarantor
Tenant
Definition of tenant
Options for Dealing With Mail
As an apartment dweller, you have a handful of options when it comes to dealing with your mail when you go away. Which option you choose depends on certain factors.
Apartment Living / Rental - Articles
An index of articles for the Apartment Living / Rental guide site.
Need if renting house
Would I need renter's insurance if I rent a condo, coop, or house
Enough to replace stuff
Will I get enough money to replace my stuff if it gets damaged or destroyed
Fight Pests in Common Areas
If you spot a pest problem in these areas, promptly bring it to your landlord's attention.
Playground Burns
Playground equipment can heat up quickly and retain the heat easily, causing serious burns to skin upon contact. Follow these precautions to prevent playground burns on hot, sunny days.
Discrimination laws?
Must tax credit properties comply with discrimination laws
Budget Motivation
Many people who think about creating a budget never get around to doing it. If this sounds familiar, here's some motivation to get you started.
Temporary Mail Forwarding
The U.S. Postal Service offers two options for having your mail forwarded to a different address on a temporary basis while you're away from your apartment. Find out about each one.
Not Disabled
Apartment dwellers who used to have disabilities and even some who never had a disability may be protected by the federal ban on disability discrimination.
Landlord
Definition of landlord
Communicating After a Disaster
Learn about some helpful services aimed at making it easy to communicate with family and friends after a crisis.
Report Bad Landlords to HUD
If a landlord who gets federal assistance doesn't live up to its obligation to provide safe and decent housing for low-income tenants, HUD wants to know about it.
Ineligible at all properties?
If I get rejected from one tax credit property, am I ineligible for others
Month-to-month rental?
Can I rent on a month-to-month basis
How exactly is rent calculated
How exactly is my rent calculated
Students okay?
Can I live at a tax credit property if I'm a student
Entertaining and Neighbors
When planning and hosting a party, have fun but don't forget that other people live in your building, too.
Why renter's insurance?
Why do I need renter's insurance
Lease
Definition of lease
What will my lease say?
What will my lease say about a guarantor
Pursue a Fair Housing Claim
If you decide to proceed with filing a complaint against your landlord or other housing professional with HUD, here are the steps you'll need to take.
Apartment Living / Rental - HowTos
An index of HowTos for the Apartment Living / Rental guide site.
Mention Pet at Start of Search
To find an apartment for you and your pet, be sure to mention your pet at the start of your apartment search. Take two steps to help you streamline your search for the right apartment for you and your pet.
Live in a Certain Building
If you check out a potential neighborhood and come across a building or two that interests you, there are ways you can find out if an apartment is available.
Apartment Living / Rental - Before You Buy
An index of Before You Buy Articles for the Apartment Living / Rental guide site.
Low-Cost Purchases for Heating
You don't have to spend much to save a lot on your heating bill, thanks to some simple yet innovative products.
Lower Your Heating Bill
There are many things you can do as an apartment dweller to lower your heating bill. Here are some that require little time and effort, and that won't cost you a penny.
Find Roommates on the Web
Several websites have sprouted up that offer tools for helping renters find a good roommate.
Rent
Definition of rent
Renter's insurance
Definition of renter's insurance
Protected class
Definition of protected class
Only physical disabilities?
Are only physical disabilities covered
Intercom Security Tips
If you're not careful when it comes to your intercom, unauthorized people can gain access to your building and possibly commit a crime against you or another tenant.
Elevator Safety for Children
If you have an elevator in your apartment and children either live with you or even occasionally visit, spend a moment talking to them about elevator safety.
Get Neighbor to Collect Mail
A neighbor can be a big help by collecting your mail each day that you're away from your apartment for an extended period of time. Here's how to set things up with a neighbor to avoid common problems.
Special lease?
Will I need to sign a special lease
Household number
Does the number of people in my household affect eligibility
Stand out as low-income?
If there are market-rate tenants, will I stand out as low-income
Not much property
What if I don't have much personal property
Temporary relocation
Will I get paid to cover expenses for temporary relocation
Good renter's insurance
Is a good renter's insurance policy hard to find
Collecting Neighbor's Mail
Even tenants who mean well sometimes do things that damage their relationship with a neighbor while collecting mail. Read some pointers to help you prevent any problems.
Use Fan to Keep Warm
Did you know that ceiling fans can also help you keep warm in the winter
Evicted for Too Much Income?
Can I get evicted if my income goes way up after I move in
Voice profiling
Definition of voice profiling
Railroad apartment
Definition of railroad apartment
Late charge
Definition of late charge
High-rise
Definition of high-rise
About - Apartment Living / Rental Buyer's Guide
Find Guide reviews, top picks, and advice you can use before you buy.
Guide dog
Definition of guide dog
Amenities
Definition of amenities
Balcony
Definition of balcony
Doorman
Defition of doorman
Duplex
Definition of duplex
Eat-in kitchen
Definition of eat-in kitchen
Follow Apartments on Twitter
Find out what's new in Apartment Living / Rental by following me on Twitter.
Loft apartment
Definition of loft apartment
Name profiling
Definition of name profiling
Security deposit
Definition of security deposit
Service animal
Definition of service animal
Sublease
Definition of sublease
Fair Housing Claim Issues
Here are issues to consider before you file a fair housing complaint, so that you can make an informed decision about whether you want to proceed.
Market-rate tenants, too?
Will there be market-rate tenants in the building
Apartment Trick-or-Treating
Trick-or-treating isn't just for kids who live in houses. Here's how to enjoy this Halloween tradition when you live in an apartment.
Landlord has insurance
Do I need renter's insurance even if my landlord has insurance
Race vs. Color
Race and color seem so similar. What's the difference

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