renting--what are standard move-in costs?

[jennlin]

first month, last month, and security deposit....application fee, background check.... anything else? are those all standard? would you be upset if you saw those in a renting contract?

[ashleyp728]

Only other thing we have to pay as we are going through this this week, is a pet fee and pet deposit.

[jennlin]

how much is a standard deposit? 1k?

[sarack]

i think that those are standard. i'd definitely charge a one time pet fee.. for like carpet cleaning.. but please don't charge pet rent as well. it fucking sucks.

[jennlin]

ashleyp728 what's the difference between pet fee and pet deposit? we plan on charging 25/month for pets....is that reasonable?

[ashleyp728]

For a home? I'm not sure. A standard deposit I've paid for an apartment has been around $350, but I feel like 1k sounds about right for a house.

[jennlin]

sorry sarack!

[ashleyp728]

Apr 1, 2013 12:56:48 GMT -5 jennlin said:

ashleyp728 what's the difference between pet fee and pet deposit? we plan on charging 25/month for pets....is that reasonable?

I've seen anything from $10-50 per month and per pet for pet rent. Pet deposit covers any damages the pet may have caused and is refundable, we are paying $200 for that. Then another $200 for the pet "fee" which I believe covered costs for maintaining grounds (some people don't pick up poop so someone has to), they stock poop bags, and I'm not really sure what else that covers but the $400 is due up front and monthly charges re added on to rent.

[ashleyp728]

Apr 1, 2013 12:56:43 GMT -5 sarack said:

i think that those are standard. i'd definitely charge a one time pet fee.. for like carpet cleaning.. but please don't charge pet rent as well. it fucking sucks.

I agree pet rent sucks. I don't really understand the point of a pet fee, deposit AND rent, but as it is I am paying it, so it's not a deal breaker.

[jennlin]

okay...my microwave was replaced in november-ish. does that count as "brand new" or should i just write new?

[jennlin]

eeek! here's our listing! seattle.craigslist.org/sno/apa/3716488829.html

[jennlin]

when you pay an application fee....do you get it back if you do not get picked to rent? do you get it back as credit toward your first month rent if you do?

[ashleyp728]

Apr 1, 2013 13:38:31 GMT -5 jennlin said:

when you pay an application fee....do you get it back if you do not get picked to rent? do you get it back as credit toward your first month rent if you do?

I've never been declined, but my understanding is that you don't get it back or as a credit, or I never did. It was a fee we paid for the admin to run the background check or whatever, it's usually not much anyway, I think $40 per person or so is what I've paid.

[Deleted]

Listing looks great! The only thing it makes me ask, so you might want to amend ad, is if anything is covered or not. I find it best to be explicit so as to not waste anyone's time. Typically, I would expect electricity to be tenant's responsibility and for a house, water as well (which usually means sewer since they're the same bill for Alderwood area). Do they have to pay for garbage service or is that included?

[jennlin]

Apr 1, 2013 13:45:41 GMT -5 @ksta said:

Listing looks great! The only thing it makes me ask, so you might want to amend ad, is if anything is covered or not. I find it best to be explicit so as to not waste anyone's time. Typically, I would expect electricity to be tenant's responsibility and for a house, water as well (which usually means sewer since they're the same bill for Alderwood area). Do they have to pay for garbage service or is that included?

we would want tenant to pay. we can amend...how is this typically worded?

[jennlin]

Apr 1, 2013 13:44:23 GMT -5 ashleyp728 said:

Apr 1, 2013 13:38:31 GMT -5 jennlin said:

when you pay an application fee....do you get it back if you do not get picked to rent? do you get it back as credit toward your first month rent if you do?

I've never been declined, but my understanding is that you don't get it back or as a credit, or I never did. It was a fee we paid for the admin to run the background check or whatever, it's usually not much anyway, I think $40 per person or so is what I've paid.

i read an article about how it was different than doing the background check, etc...it was an application fee, to weed out people who waste your time..and the background fee is separate.. but i don't mind..since i planned on charging 25-ish for the application fee, we can just make it a little higher and use it for background check.

[Deleted]

I think I would just keep it simple, such as "Utilities not included."

[jennlin]

i found a website online (run by transunion) that does background checks for landlords, and the option was to have tenant pay or have landlord pay. i was going to have tenant pay ($30, or 35...don't remember)...can i do that in addition to the application fee? i read a few articles that said to do both..but i want to know what's "really" done, versus what is recommended.

[jennlin]

Apr 1, 2013 14:19:08 GMT -5 @jennuinne said:

Also, I thought you had a friend you were renting to? What happened to that?

he backed out

[larzhope]

I think I'm way late to this JL, but we had to pay one month's rent for the pet deposit, which we forfeited upon the conclusion of our lease because the dog scratched up the wood floors.

You ad looks great - just one small typo in the last sentence it says "home will" - I think "will" is a typo and unnecessary

[jennlin]

Apr 1, 2013 14:23:36 GMT -5 @jennuinne said:

Personally, I would just charge what ever fee you are paying to run the background check. Also, $50 seems like a lot for an application.

That sucks he backed out.

okay, we'll just do the $35 for the background check, then.

Apr 1, 2013 14:25:01 GMT -5 larzhope said:

I think I'm way late to this JL, but we had to pay one month's rent for the pet deposit, which we forfeited upon the conclusion of our lease because the dog scratched up the wood floors.

You ad looks great - just one small typo in the last sentence it says "home will" - I think "will" is a typo and unnecessary

aww crap. thanks. h is in a meeting right now, and he was the one that listed, so i'll have to wait until after his meeting to get it fixed.

when you say "one month's rent for the pet deposit"...like a full month of rent in addition to your original deposit, plus first/last month rent?

[sarack]

Apr 1, 2013 12:57:25 GMT -5 jennlin said:

sorry sarack!

you suck.

[jennlin]

so we got our first person looking...she has 6 kids! omg! we moved out bc we thought the house was too small for the three of us. they're going to have 8! and 2 dogs!

so scared. this whole landlord thing is terrifying!

[Kahala]

I think that family tried to rent the house next to ours, i was talking to the owners anout their possible tennants and i was like oh man that would be too much yo live next to

[larzhope]

Apr 1, 2013 15:16:34 GMT -5 sarack said:

Apr 1, 2013 12:57:25 GMT -5 jennlin said:

sorry sarack!

you suck.

yep, or pretty close to it.  So, our rent was $2100/month (I think), and the pet deposit was $1875 I think... or at least, that's how much it cost to get the floors refinished and I remember we agreed that they'd pay it, and we wouldn't get our pet deposit back.  I do think they made it so high though because there were wood floors and it was a new construction house (that being said, Riley also ate the vinyl flooring, so nothing was really safe...).

[larzhope]

I have no idea how this quoted the wrong post - sorry guys

[jennlin]

larzhope...that's a superduper high deposit!

thanks everyone for your input! we got 5 inquiries so far..super duper scared/nervous/excited!

[larzhope]

jennlin

yeah it was pretty high. chalk it up to not knowing any better, I guess 5 inquiries is awesome for 24 hrs!!

Are you guys going to have a house warming party? Is it totally creepy if I tell you I'd love to see your house?

[jennlin]

Apr 2, 2013 12:10:06 GMT -5 larzhope said:

Are you guys going to have a house warming party? Is it totally creepy if I tell you I'd love to see your house?

no, h doesn't want a HW party since it's our 2nd house..and most of our friends are at a financial point in their lives where they cannot afford a decent first house, much less a second, beautiful (IMO, but i might be bias) house.

i'd be happy to host a nextie gtg, though (with no crazies). karebear219 mentioned she wanted to do another DSTP....if you guys want to, i'd be happy to host. maybe you can poll the non-mommies and see if they have any interest?

[karebear219]

Apr 2, 2013 12:13:28 GMT -5 jennlin said:

Apr 2, 2013 12:10:06 GMT -5 larzhope said:

Are you guys going to have a house warming party? Is it totally creepy if I tell you I'd love to see your house?

no, h doesn't want a HW party since it's our 2nd house..and most of our friends are at a financial point in their lives where they cannot afford a decent first house, much less a second, beautiful (IMO, but i might be bias) house.

i'd be happy to host a nextie gtg, though (with no crazies). karebear219 mentioned she wanted to do another DSTP....if you guys want to, i'd be happy to host. maybe you can poll the non-mommies and see if they have any interest?

I totally want to go to another DSTP party!! Especially at jennlin 's pretty new house