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While almost every renter has been held responsible for cleaning out their apartment before moving, it’s difficult to know what that move-out clean entails. Though some landlords might pay for a professional cleaning service between tenants, this is not always guaranteed, and assuming that your landlord will hire cleaners is a risky move for your security deposit.
But moving out isn’t only about cleaning; it’s about finding and documenting every possible damage that could deduct money from your deposit — a task that all renters should do when they move in and move out.
To help with this, here are some move-out cleaning tips and information on rental damages in order for you to get your security deposit back.
When You Move In
To avoid getting charged for the previous renters’ damages, it is incredibly important to find, document, and inform your landlord of any damages to the property with a move-in inspection checklist. This includes holes in the walls, broken windows or pipes, and missing door handles, to name a few.
While doing an in-person inspection with your landlord is the best way to point out various damages that could impact your security deposit, sending photos of these issues to your landlord will also work to ensure that you’re not being charged for damages you’re not responsible for.
Read Through Your Lease
This step should be taken both when you move into a new place and when you’re leaving it. Included in your lease should be a deadline for when you need to let your landlord know that you will be moving out; if you miss that deadline, some landlords might even charge you another month’s rent, which is why it is important to review your lease as soon as you’re considering moving out.
Another aspect of your lease is a timeframe for when your landlord will return your security deposit. Many leases will state that you should receive your deposit back within thirty days of moving out, though this varies depending on leases and landlords.
Along with this, some states have laws limiting how much a landlord can charge their tenants in security deposits. There are also state laws that cap the amount of time a landlord can hold onto a tenant’s security deposit before returning it. Looking into your state’s laws on security deposits can be extremely helpful in knowing your rights as a renter.
Move-Out Cleaning Checklist
After understanding everything that your lease outlines in terms of your security deposit and moving out, you will then be tasked with cleaning the property. It’s understandable that this will be at the bottom of your “moving to-do list,” which is why we’ve provided a detailed cleaning checklist to make the process a bit easier.
Move-Out Wear and Tear vs. Damage
While looking through and cleaning out your apartment, you might find some minor — or major — damages that occurred during your time living there. In order to know if you will be charged for these, it is best to understand the differences between wear and tear versus damages.
According to The Balance Small Business, wear and tear occurs from everyday use while damage, whether purposeful or accidental, happens because of negligence. While both can be alarming to a renter, landlords cannot charge you for normal wear and tear. They can, however, take out money from your security deposit for various damages that they find.
This is another reason why it is important to have a joint inspection with your landlord before officially moving out of the unit; you will have the chance to point out whether there is simple wear and tear or damages while also gaining feedback from your landlord as to anything you missed while cleaning.
If your landlord does charge you for damages, thus taking some or all of your security deposit, be sure to ask for an itemized receipt of the issues found and the cost of repair. This will better inform you of why your deposit is affected and who should take on the payments (if you have roommates) or if the issues can be classified as damages in the first place.
With the help of a move-out cleaning checklist, guidelines for possible property damage, and information on your rights as a renter, you can comfortably navigate your transition from one home to the next.
When you’re ready to move and find your next home, use Realtor.com® to search for and reach out to rentals in your desired area. And if your next rental uses Avail, know that paying your rent online is not only easy but can even help you build up your credit score with timely rent payments.
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Whether you’re an incoming freshman or kicking off your senior year, you may be thinking about renting an apartment as a college student. While this can be a great way to familiarize yourself with the renting experience, it can also be challenging if you’re unfamiliar with the process.
In this article, we cover seven essential tips to help you rent as a college student, and share some resources that will help make the process smooth and seamless.
1. Find a Neighborhood
No matter how large the city or town may be that you live in, apartment hunting is especially difficult if you can’t narrow down your desired location. If you are unfamiliar with a certain neighborhood, drive or walk around to find an area with your must-have grocery store or coffee shop nearby.
Pay attention to the culture and the lifestyle of the area, and spend some time in the area at night to make sure you are relatively comfortable there. If you want to keep your options open, consider multiple neighborhoods around the area.
2. Research Rental Options
After researching a neighborhood, your next priority should be finding an apartment. A great place to start is with a rental app. While there are several to choose from, Realtor.com® is especially useful for college students since you can search your school and find available rentals close to campus.
Realtor.com® includes custom filters that can narrow down your search. Set details like rent price, move-in date, pet friendliness, and more. Each listing also lets you add a commute, so you’ll know just how far you are from the school. Once you find an option that fits your criteria, you can contact the property directly from the listing.
If you’re struggling to find a rental on your own, Realtor.com® also makes it easy to connect with professional realtors who can help.
3. Use a Co-Signer
Renting an apartment in college can seem like a significant financial undertaking, especially if you have little to no credit, a lack of rental history, or little personal income. That is where a co-signer comes in. A co-signer — usually a parent or guardian figure — assumes responsibility of the lease along with you, using their own credit score and proof of income and making it much more likely that a landlord will take you on as a renter.
It’s important that you check with a realtor or the landlord of the apartment you are looking at to ensure that they will allow for a co-signer on the lease. Note that most apartments and rental units do, especially in university towns.
4. Build Up Your Credit Score While You Rent
College is a great time to start building up your credit score, and a service like CreditBoost* is one way to help you do it. Avail offers CreditBoost for renters as a means to boost your VantageScore, FICO 9, and FICO XD scores with each timely rent payment you make, which opens more doors to the types of apartments you can rent and the size of loans you can take out in the future.
There are even ways to get credit for past on-time rent payments (if you have them) to ensure you don’t let credit opportunities go to waste. Making your rent payments online through Avail to use CreditBoost is quick and user-friendly.
5. Start Looking for Roommates Early
Nobody wants to be put in a situation where they’re suddenly scrambling to find a place to live. This is why it’s best to find reliable roommates in advance and make sure you all agree on the same things, such as your rent budget and amenities.
If you are living with multiple roommates, it’s a good idea to make a list of everything you all own and can bring to the apartment in terms of shared items and spaces to ensure that everyone is on the same page.
6. Ask the Right Apartment Hunting Questions
Once the searching is done and you’re able to tour an apartment, whether it is in person or virtually, compile a list of questions you want to ask the property manager or landlord so there are no surprises after you move in. Some examples might include:
- When is rent due?
- Are utilities included in the rent?
- What fees can I expect, and are there any hidden fees I should be aware of?
- Can I have a pet in the apartment?
- How long is my lease?
- Is there parking?
- How do I go about making maintenance requests?
- Can I repaint the walls and decorate on my own?
7. Remember Your Renters Insurance
For your first time renting, it’s important to consider renters insurance. Renters insurance usually covers personal property, liability, and additional living expenses. For most people, their first apartment is a learning experience, and your college rental may be more prone to things like accidentally unlocked doors, the coming and going of visitors, and the potential for things to go wrong.
Renters insurance doesn’t have to be a huge financial burden. With an option like Lemonade, college students have a reliable way to buy renters insurance specific to their needs without breaking the bank. Starting at just $5 a month, Lemonade is college-friendly with an easy-to-use app.
Save on Application Fees With An Avail Renter Profile
While finding renting an apartment as a college student can seem like a daunting task, being prepared can help the process go smoothly. And, with an Avail Renter Profile, you can prepare even further by compiling your relevant information in one shareable profile. Avoid expensive application fees and multiple credit checks, and control who can access your information.
After setting up your Avail Renter Profile, send your custom link to a prospective landlord’s email address. They can review your answers to common application questions, as well as the results of a credit check, background check, and eviction report. After they’re done, you can revoke access with a single click.
Log in or create an account to set up your own renter profile, and visit Realtor.com® to find a rental you’ll love.
*CreditBoost results may vary by individual.
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Confronted with a global pandemic, social distancing guidelines, and a few months of quarantine, searching for an apartment can seem like a daunting task for prospective renters. However, looking for an apartment regardless of the current circumstances can be relatively easy and feel close to normal by following a few guidelines.
1. Tour Apartments Virtually
A virtual apartment tour is an easy and accessible way to take a look at apartments without having to step foot inside, particularly in the midst of a pandemic.
Some landlords offer 3-D tours of their units on their websites, while some simply take videos walking through the unit. Check with the landlord to see what kind of options they are offering, and if they are open to it, you may be able to suggest a system that you prefer.
Whatever route the landlord you are looking into chooses to take, make sure you do your research and take a look at the options available to you while maintaining open communication.
2. Ask Your Landlord for Online Leases and Rent Payments
In accordance with social distancing measures, signing paperwork up-close and in-person is not recommended. Many landlords have now converted to using online services for signing a lease and paying rent.
If your future landlord is not yet informed of these online applications, you can let them know that various contactless options are available to both landlords and tenants.
3. Ask These Questions
Every apartment building is run differently from the next. In order to ensure you are meeting all of your must-haves, such as an in-unit washer and dryer, parking, or whatever may it be, it’s vital to have a game plan when looking for a new apartment.
As you get ready to schedule a virtual tour of the apartment, draft up a list of essential questions. You might want to ask the landlord for a cumulative list of the costs you are looking at to rent the unit, the general building rules, and anything else that is particular to your living preferences and might affect your apartment choice. If you are lost on what kind of questions to ask, you may benefit from asking friends and family or by researching some online guides.
4. Come Up With a Backup Plan and Be Communicative
Many everyday tasks such as going to the grocery store, meeting friends, and setting up appointments suddenly look a lot different in the midst of a pandemic. Many people find themselves unequipped to handle such an outstanding situation in their everyday lives, much less looking for a new place to live with current COVID-19 restrictions.
Establishing a contingency plan is important to renters if their original plan doesn’t work out during these uncertain times. Ensure solid communication with the landlord of the places you are looking to rent from, as well as with your current landlord. While things may seem uncertain, most people are understanding considering the current state of the world, and having an open and honest conversation with both landlords can help ensure that you have a contingency plan if your plans become more muddled.
5. Lean on Online Resources
Many realtors are ready to help you find a good neighborhood and building via email or phone, and all other interactions can now be done online. Hundreds of people are going through the same unknown circumstances and there are plenty of guides and websites that you can access from the comfort of your current home to help you prepare for a relatively seamless renting experience.
Don’t be afraid to take a deep dive online and take in as much collective information as you can. Most everyone is working in uncharted territory, and compiling information certainly does not hurt.
6. Take a Drive
If you can, take a drive (or a walk) past the apartment you’re looking at. This way, you can get a sense of travel time, what the neighborhood is like, and if the area’s culture is something you can imagine yourself being a part of.
Consider driving by at different times of the day so you can get a feel for traffic flow and safety assurance of the neighborhood. Even if you cannot see the inside of the unit in person, these are all factors that will impact your living experience as well.
7. Get Ready to Negotiate
Considering the current circumstances, many landlords and owners are willing to discuss pricing more openly, especially considering most units are unavailable for tours and it’s more difficult to understand the value of the apartment without seeing it in person.
While the price for rent is usually set, some other minor fees that you can expect under normal circumstances may be more flexible, such as move-in or application fees. Ask your landlord if there is any wiggle room for a discount or deferment of these and other upfront moving costs.
Once you’ve found your new place, make sure you protect your belongings (and get some peace of mind for your extra moving efforts) with affordable renters insurance.
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]]>The post Move-in Checklist for Landlords and Tenants appeared first on Avail.
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As move-in day approaches, it’s important to send your tenants information, including a move-in checklist to be completed within 72 hours of the tenants moving in.
Why Do You Need a Move-in Checklist?
The move-in checklist helps you keep track of the condition of your property. It ensures that you and your tenants thoroughly look through the unit to spot issues.
Most importantly, it holds your tenants accountable for any damage that occurs while they live there.
You’ll review the checklist when the tenants move in, and again when they move out, to find out if there’s damage beyond the normal wear and tear.
What’s in the Move-in Checklist?
Our move-in checklist is separated by room. For each room, the checklist includes common parts of the room. For example, the kitchen checklist includes items such as the refrigerator, dishwasher, cabinets, etc.
Our checklist covers the following rooms:
- Living room
- Dining Room
- Kitchen
- Two Bedrooms
- One Bathroom
- Miscellaneous (parking, storage, apartment door, etc.)
There’s also space at the bottom of the checklist for additional notes if you have more bedrooms or bathrooms.
How Should You Record the Condition of the Property?
Our checklist includes a key to keep this process simple:
S = Satisfactory
NA = Not Applicable
NC = Needs Cleaning
NP = Needs Painting
NR = Needs Repair
SC = Scratched
RP = Needs Replacing
When Should You Send the Move-in Checklist to Your Tenants?
Moving can be stressful, so it’s helpful to give your tenants information ahead of time so they feel prepared.
We recommend sending the checklist two weeks before the move-in date. That way, they’ll be aware before the move-in process that they are expected to complete the checklist and return it to you.
Furthermore, we recommend sending it in a tenant welcome letter via email. This letter is a friendly way to welcome your tenants to the property while providing useful information.
Our welcome letter is a template that you can edit and send to tenants. It informs tenants how to:
- Set up utilities
- Get renters insurance
- Pick up keys
- Move in
- Pay rent
- Report maintenance issues
- Throw away trash
- Use the laundry room
- Park in the neighborhood
- Complete the move-in checklist
- Contact you if needed
Be sure to attach the move-in checklist to your welcome email.
Next Steps
After sending the move-in checklist, make sure to get ready for new tenants in your unit by:
- Professionally cleaning your unit
- Providing keys to your tenants
- Setting up online rent payments
- Reminding your tenants that they need to return the checklist to you within 72 hours of moving in
Once your tenants return the checklist, you’ll then review the checklist and sign if you agree with the conditions they noted. You should also use the checklist to determine if repairs are necessary. If so, you may need to deduct the repair amount from the security deposit.
Check out our resources for more helpful documents.
Sign up now to join the landlords who are saving time managing their rental properties with Avail.
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Whether you’re about to become a renter for the first time or you’ve been around the block, it’s always a good idea to prepare a few questions to ask before signing a new lease.
These questions never replace the need to read your lease (always read your lease!), but getting them answered before it’s time to sign can improve your odds of choosing an apartment with rules you can live with.
Questions to Ask When Renting an Apartment
Here are the 12 essential questions to ask a landlord or property manager around apartment costs, apartment policies, and moving:
1. Which utilities are included in the rent and which am I responsible for?
A $1,000 a month one bedroom with all utilities included could be a much better deal than an $890 a month unit where you have to pay everything separately. Landlords have complete discretion over how they handle utility payments with their tenants, so it’s important to make sure you understand how it’s divvied up.
If you’re going to be paying utilities separately, ask the landlord how much these cost the current tenants each month so you can take that into account when comparing rental rates.
2. What costs are required to move in?
Most landlords require at least the first month’s rent upfront, but it’s not uncommon for leases to require the first and last month’s rent along with a security deposit in the range of a couple hundred dollars.
If you can’t afford that payment at signing, you may need to look elsewhere or delay your move-in date until you have enough saved.
3. What are my options for paying rent?
Most rental companies and private landlords offer an online payment option, but not all do. If your lease requires you to hand deliver a check to the rental office each month, consider how feasible that is for your lifestyle. If you can’t consistently make that errand on time, the penalties for a late payment could be added fees and possibly a hit to your credit score if your landlord chooses to report the late payments.
4. How do you handle maintenance requests or emergency repairs?
A good landlord will have a good answer for this, ideally one that includes specifics around who to call and how quickly to expect maintenance personnel at your door. You might also ask the landlord’s policy for granting repair professionals access to your unit. Check to see if your landlord uses an online maintenance portal where you can quickly document and request any necessary repairs.
5. What are my options for parking?
It’s not uncommon for buildings to offer the option to rent an on-site parking space for an additional fee. If you go that route, be sure to find out what information is necessary to get your vehicle approved for the lot so it won’t mistakenly get towed.
Some units offer guest passes for visitors with vehicles. Make sure you know the policy before your friends arrive.
6. What are the rules around painting and decorating?
Don’t assume that you can paint your space, or even hang pictures on nails. Your lease may prohibit it outright or allow it with the caveat that you repaint and spackle any holes before moving out. Glossing over this requirement could be the difference between getting your security deposit back or not.
7. What are the rules for common spaces?
Amenity rooms, pool decks and lounges can be a great perk of newer apartment buildings, so long as you know how they’re used. How is the space maintained? Are there quiet hours? If the unit you’re looking at is next to a common space, ask a few questions to get a sense of how much noise and activity will be going on outside your door.
8. How are deliveries handled?
This seems like a small thing, but losing a package that got lifted off the stoop or delivered to the wrong door is a major bummer. If you’re not someone who gets many deliveries, you can skip this question or save it for after move-in. But if you mostly shop online or get frequent deliveries for work, it’s worth finding out about your options for keeping packages safe when you can’t be there to receive them.
9. Are pets allowed?
If you have any pets or are planning to bring one to your new apartment, this one could seem like a no-brainer. But some landlords don’t allow pets and don’t mention it up front, and some prospective tenants forget to check.
Ask questions and make sure you know the ins and outs of having a pet in your new apartment. Will there be a pet deposit? Extra fees? Any pet-related building rules you should know about? Get all the information upfront so there are no surprises later.
10. What’s the policy on subletting?
When an unexpected need to move arises, you don’t want to discover that your lease prohibits you from leaving early. Subletting policy is up to your landlord, so make sure you know what’s allowed — and what’s expected of you — if you need to leave before your lease is up.
11. How can I get my security deposit back?
The best defense against losing your security deposit is an informed offense. Will you be expected to repaint? Patch holes? Will the landlord provide a move-out checklist noting items you could be charged for if they’re not maintained appropriately? Make sure you know what’s expected and file those expectations away for easy reference when it’s time to move out.
12. Do your properties have automatic lease renewal?
Automatic lease renewal clauses can be tricky. On one hand, if you’re happy where you’re at, you don’t need to take any action to stay there from one lease term to the next. But on the other hand, if you decide you’d like to move, the burden is on you to communicate that to the landlord by the date stipulated in the lease or risk being charged an extra month’s rent for the late notification.
Find Your Next Apartment and Save Money on Application Fees
With these questions on hand, you’re ready to find a great new place! Use Realtor.com’s apartment hunting tool to find apartments in the price range and location you want.
Once you’ve found the right place, create a free renter profile to share with any landlord to avoid filling out duplicate application forms and paying multiple application fees.
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As a tenant, you most likely use the internet to compare prices on goods and services, such as cable, TV, mobile phones, and hotels. But have you considered doing the same thing with your electricity bill? Taking advantage of the competition in the electricity market could not only significantly reduce your electricity bills but also allow you an opportunity to start to “go green” with renewable electricity at no additional cost.
Why You Need to Compare Electricity Providers
Deregulation of many industries brought several benefits to consumers, such as lower prices, better services, and more choices. If you live in a deregulated energy state, you can compare your electricity providers the same way you compare and choose your suppliers for cable, TV, mobile phones, hotels, airline tickets, and so on.
In deregulated energy states your standard electricity bill consists of two parts: delivery and supply. There is nothing you can do about the delivery part, as it belongs to your local utility and serves important functions, such as service and billing. You can, however, manage your supply part, compare and choose among multiple electricity suppliers that are competing for your business.
If you are not unaware of your electricity options and do not choose your electricity supplier, your local utility will supply your electricity by default and, most likely, will charge you a variable rate. That variable rate fluctuates from month to month and could be quite volatile. If you don’t pay for your own utilities, ask your landlord about this.
The process of comparing and switching to the supplier of your choice is easy. There are no appointments to make and no installations to perform. Just like almost everything else, you can simply do it online.
The process is instant, digital and free and takes only a few minutes. Your electricity billing remains exactly the same, as billing is still managed by your local utility. Any service issues or interruptions are also part of the delivery part and, as described above, are managed by your local utility.
Benefits of Comparing Electricity Rates
There are several major benefits when it comes to comparing electric rates. The first benefit is if you are responsible for covering utilities at your place, you can save money on your energy bills. As there are no reasons to overpay for electricity, finding and switching to the cheapest supplier could save you up to 37%. In addition, managing your electricity supply and knowing exactly how much you are paying for electricity strengthens your financial discipline.
The second benefit is to lock into a budget-certain fixed-rate plan instead of remaining on a volatile variable plan offered by your local utility. Variable rates could rise rapidly based on multiple factors, including the weather or geopolitical situation, significantly increasing your electricity bills.
The third benefit of comparing electricity suppliers and their plans is an opportunity to go green. As more and more suppliers compete for your business, some of them are throwing in green options for free. That means you have a chance not only to save on electricity but also to get green renewable energy at no extra cost, as described below.
Where Does Your Electricity Come From?
Together, non-renewable electricity sources account for 82% of generated electricity and produce numerous downsides. Environmental pollution is the biggest one, as burning fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide, which is directly linked to global warming. Oil spills, for example, are disastrous for the ocean and land and can be deadly for the animals that live there.
In addition, burning fossil fuels can lead to lung problems and asthma attacks in humans. The limited supply of natural resources that cannot be renewed is another major downside that could lead to rising costs.
As a tenant, the only way you can get renewable energy is to compare electricity suppliers and switch to a plan with a green option, as described above. If you choose to do so, your money for the supply portion of your bill will go towards building a wind turbine or other renewable energy source instead of towards burning fossil fuels.
Oftentimes, a plan with a green option will also be the cheapest plan, giving you a chance to save both the planet and on your energy bills.
Start saving on your electric bill.
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]]>The post Top Social Platforms People Use to Share Moving Day Photos appeared first on Avail.
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Where are Americans most likely to share pictures of their moving day adventures? Facebook. But the number two and three positions are interesting:
- People in the Northeast are slightly more likely than everyone else to post on Instagram.
- Western renters are the most likely to not be on social media at all.
- Midwesterners are the most likely to be posting on Twitter.
In social media, differences tend to show up when you parse data by age, as shown in the Pew Research Center’s latest findings on social media usage among American adults: Older Americans tend to prefer Facebook, while younger folks lean more heavily on Snapchat and Instagram.
Differences also appear, it turns out, when you look at population density. For almost every platform, social media use correlates with population density: Urban dwellers use social media more than suburbanites, who use it more than rural Americans.
That’s a pretty significant finding, given that research has tied increased use of social media to increased feelings of social isolation. The research in question didn’t define cause and effect, though. So whether city dwellers are turning to social media because they feel lonely or they feel lonely because they’re on social media is yet to be determined.
If you’re feeling isolated despite being surrounded by people, don’t worry. There are plenty of ways to meet your neighbors, and moving provides a great excuse to reach out (house warming party, anyone?).
Make Moving Day More Bearable
No matter where in the country you live, moving day can be stressful and unpleasant – but it doesn’t have to be. Take a look at these resources to ensure that your next move goes as smoothly as possible:
- What to Consider Before Looking for Your Next Apartment
- What to do Before Moving Into an Apartment
- The Tenant’s Ultimate Moving Checklist
- A Tenant’s Guide to Setting Up Utilities
Have a question we didn’t answer about moving day? Let us know. We’d love to hear your feedback. And if you enjoyed this guide, feel free to share it with your network.
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]]>The post Moving Day Essentials: Keeping the Home Clean on Moving Day appeared first on Avail.
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Maybe it’s not surprising that renters around the country agree on the must-haves for moving day: toilet paper, trash bags, and disinfecting wipes get top-three billing nationwide, followed by toothbrushes (and paste), paper towels, and hand soap.
Instead of trying to glean some meaning from the slight differences, we thought we’d use this opportunity to dig into the larger questions behind the ways we aim to keep our homes clean on moving day.
First, let’s talk about disinfecting wipes. About a third of us consider these a must-have on moving day. But are they really keeping us clean or healthy? Not necessarily, according to one medical professional we spoke to.
“Germ-free is not a real thing,” she said (we’re not using her name because she’s affiliated with a hospital and not authorized to speak on its behalf). And she added that, while “antiseptics are 99.9% effective for killing bacteria, anything that is reused would be detrimental, like a sponge or a cloth.”
But she went on to hit us with one more really important consideration: “If you keep .01% of bacteria on that cleaning sponge, those bacteria will pass on resistance genes. Then you get multiplying resistant bacteria.” And that’s bad news for everyone.
A better policy for keeping your home clean:
- Know the difference between cleaning and disinfecting. Cleaning – which you can do with soap and water – removes dirt and germs from a surface. Disinfecting kills those germs. Typically, you only need to do the latter to deal with raw meat, bodily fluids, and sickness (e.g., disinfecting the nightstand after someone has the flu).
- When reusing cloths and sponges, disinfect them regularly. Sponges are the germiest thing in your home. But you can still use them effectively if you know how to disinfect them.
- Wash your hands. The West is winning on having hand soap around after a move, but only 31% of renters in that group consider it a necessity. In reality, plain old hand soap (not the antibacterial kind) is hugely important for preventing the spread of germs. To stay healthy after your next move, make sure you’ve got soap on hand and that you wash your hands before eating or preparing food.
Reducing Waste on Moving Day
The other thing that struck us about the answers we saw was that all those trash bags and disinfecting wipes and paper towels amount to a lot of waste on moving day. So we reached out to Joy Morgan, who works at Brooklyn-based Package Free Shop, a store that offers zero-waste alternatives to common household items.
She told us about some reusable alternatives to the essentials we all depend on:
“An alternative to the disinfectant wipes could be our cleaning essentials wipes,” she said. “They come with the ingredients to create your own natural and non-toxic disinfectant solution. An alternative to paper towels would be our “un-paper” towels. After use they can be tossed in the wash and used again.” Another great and highly absorbent option: cloth diapers.
Finally, rather than relying on a full box of trash bags, Morgan suggested keeping trash in cardboard boxes (which you’ll probably have around anyway!). If you live in an area where it’s okay to dump garbage straight into collection containers, you can dump your trash and then recycle the boxes. That’s also a great way to motivate yourself to clear out your moving supplies post-move.
Learn More
Found this helpful? This is only one chapter from our six part guide on Moving Day Around the Country. Find the rest of the series below:
Chapter 1: Moving Day: Behavioral Statistics Across the US
Chapter 2: Which Housing Type Do Renters Prefer?
Chapter 3: How Many Showings Do Renters Attend Before Signing a Lease?
Chapter 4: Moving Industry Statistics: Use of Professional Movers
Chapter 6: Top Social Platforms People Use to Share Moving Day Photos
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]]>The post Moving Industry Statistics: Use of Professional Movers appeared first on Avail.
]]>These slight variations aren’t too surprising: average rents in the Northeast ($1,568.78 for a one bedroom) and West ($989.31 for a one bedroom) are higher than those in the South ($959.29, though just $871.88 if you leave out Washington, DC) and Midwest ($748.67).
Over a year’s rent, that’s enough of a difference to pay for movers.
One charming thing to note: Midwestern renters were the most likely to say that the reason they used professional movers was that they don’t want to bother family and friends (17% said this). As Midwesterners ourselves, we totally get this vibe.
But we also understand that asking family and friends for help moving is the way about half of American renters move. So we reached out to Jodi R.R. Smith, an etiquette consultant with Mannersmith Etiquette Consulting, for advice on how to do that without ruining relationships.
“So much of moving day is dependent on your circumstances,” said Smith. “For example, if you are a college graduate moving from the dorms into your first city apartment (shared with a bunch of other college grads) it is perfectly acceptable to ask your friends to help you move and then you pay them in pizza.” (Big sigh of relief over here for our past behavior.)
But Smith went on: “However, if you are fortunate and are moving from one suburban street to a super-cute cul de sac, you have moved passed the friend-zone into the professional mover zone. A quick rule of thumb is that if you are well-off enough to own items you would be heartbroken if they were dropped, you are now also well off enough to hire movers.”
Moving Principles
Smith also offered the following helpful principles to keep in mind if and when you do ask friends and family members to help you move:
- Reciprocity: Understand that those who you are asking may turn around and ask you. If you would not be fully willing to help this person move, you should not ask them to help you.
- Opt Out: When you do ask, be sure to leave the guilt out. You do not want to lose a friend over your relocation. “I’m moving next Sunday and could really use some help. Are you free from 10:00 until 3:00?” Know that they may say “no” and, you need to be gracious.
- Amateurs: On the plus side, you are not paying them. On the minus side, they are not professional movers. They do not carry insurance. If any of your things are lost or broken, they are not going to replace them for you. You need to consider this risk.
- Generosity: For those who do help you move, be very generous. They are saving you hundreds (or even thousands) of dollars. Be sure to have lots of water and snacks on hand for the packing and moving. Then, when all of your possessions have been relocated, pizzas are the minimum; subs, BBQ, and drinks should be hosted as part of a celebratory conclusion. Along with your expressed gratitude, of course.
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]]>First, let’s take a quick peek at figures nationwide. According to a recent Harvard study, multifamily buildings – including the traditional “apartment” – make up about 61% of the country’s available rental stock. The other 39% are single-family units, including detached houses, duplexes, townhouses, mobile homes, RVs, and other types of housing.
Renting a House vs. Renting an Apartment
While there are some obvious differences between renting a full house and renting an apartment (like size), there are other subtler differences to consider if you’re weighing your options.
Apartments tend to offer greater proximity to public transit and center-city type activities. They typically have less space and so are less expensive to rent, heat, and cool. They may also have onsite amenities (gym, pool, common areas) that houses lack, and they almost always come with maintenance and yard services.
Renting a house, on the other hand, means you’re more likely to have a yard, which is important if you have kids or pets. And if you’ve got big pets, they’re more likely allowed in a rental house than an apartment.
Another major advantage of houses is privacy – you’re less likely to hear the neighbors through the walls. And you’ll probably have plenty of room to park your car(s). On the downside, you may be responsible for snow removal, mowing, and other yard maintenance.
House vs. Apartment Rental by Region
While the nation as a whole is about evenly split on the apartment vs. house rental divide, property availability and renter preferences vary considerably around the country. Nationally, we found that renters preferred freestanding houses and apartments about equally (37% of renters are currently in apartments, while 39% are in houses). Regionally, though, the differences are significant:
- In the West, 33% of renters are in apartments, compared with 42% in freestanding houses. That number rises to 62% in houses, though, when you include those renting townhomes (11%), condos (7%) and duplexes (2%).
- In the Midwest, 44% of renters are in apartments, compared with just 35% in houses (55% if you include townhomes, condos, and duplexes).
- In the South, houses dominate: just 27% of renters are in apartments, while 47% are in freestanding houses, 13% are in townhomes, 8% in condos, and 2% in duplexes (that’s 70% of total renters in dedicated houses of some kind).
- In the Northeast, apartments rule, making up 56% of housing for current renters. Freestanding homes account for just 21% of current domiciles, townhomes 12%, condos five, and duplexes just one percent (bringing total house rental to just under 40%).
Source: Study conducted by Avail surveying 1,100+ tenants renting properties in the U.S. (2019)
These numbers aren’t shocking: the Northeast is a more densely populated area, so it makes sense that renters find themselves more often in multifamily housing units. Conversely, the West includes lots of rural land (outside major metropolitan areas) that make standalone houses more affordable. The lower cost of living in the South has the same effect.
What we found more compelling than the breakdown of renters’ current living situation was how respondents answered our question “When do you plan to buy a home?” 70% of respondents have a concrete plan for buying a home, and 54% plan to buy within the next three years.
That’s an enthusiastic endorsement of the stability of the housing market, and an encouraging sign for anyone still worried about the fallout from its 2007 collapse. It also hints that there may be pent-up demand for homes: the current homeownership rate nationally sits at just over 64%.
That jibes with the narrative emerging from other reports on the housing market: There is currently a shortage of “starter homes” on the market. Analysts are blaming the shortage on a kind of perfect storm of contributing factors (including the construction lull following the burst of the housing bubble).
One result is that many people who would like to buy homes are unable to do so and therefore must continue to rent. That aligns with high interest in buying a home among current renters.
The Joys of Renting
A strong housing market is good news for the entire economy, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention that it’s perfectly okay if you’re one of the 30% of renters who have no plans of buying a home – and by “perfectly okay,” we mean it can be a sound financial decision at any age.
Why? In part because the value of homeownership is often overstated. You can expect a typical house, over a 50-year period, to earn you about 0.43% in annualized returns. If you only hold it 29 years, your gains come down to about 0.08% per year. And if you hold it just a few years, it may actually end up costing you money.
Consider, too, that the average annual return of the stock market for the last 60 years is about 8%. So if you took your down payment and put it in the stock market and kept paying rent for the rest of your life, you might come out ahead financially – and you’d never have to pay property taxes, mow the lawn, repair your own sink, or deal with any of the other chores associated with homeownership.
On the flip side, your landlord could sell the property at any time, you’d have to get permission to paint the walls, and you may not have a choice about whether you can get a pet.
The point is that, while there are clear benefits to being a homeowner, there are other benefits to renting. Neither choice is a better financial move by default, meaning that both can make lots of financial sense in the right circumstances.
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