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Archive for the ‘Renter News’ Category
Wednesday, July 28th, 2010
Time and time again, we at The Rentables witness landlords saving a few dollars by buying 3 gallon buckets or drums of “beige” colored paint. Although you save a bit of money by buying paint in bulk, you are shooting yourself in the foot by deterring quality tenants when you slap on another coat of “renter beige”
Walls
Let’s face it, nobody really likes the stale generic look of renter beige, so do yourself and your new tenants a favor and paint your rental unit in a color that is more aligned with 2010 trends. To make it a little easier for you, here’s what’s hot these days in paint:
- Yellow has been the hottest color for the past two years and this trend is likely to continue. Paint several walls (or even just a single feature wall) in this color to give the unit a fresh, summer feel.
- Lavender is becoming very popular for bedroom paints, it’s elegant and luxurious, yet creates a feeling of comfort and warmth.
- Charcoal grey is a very neutral color, it can be paired with almost any other paint scheme and works great in a home-office.
- Aqua has been recommended by top decorators and is still in style for 2010.
If any of these colors are too bold for you, try doing just a feature wall which can add some interest to your unit without becoming overwhelming.
Baseboards & Ceilings
Paint baseboards and ceilings white to create a nice contrast and a clean look. This simple touch also creates the impression that the property has been cared for and is well maintained. We’ve all seen apartments with layers and layers of renter beige over top of just about every surface. Here’s an example of what not to do if you go with yellow:
Instead, use white to create some contrast:
Remember that by selecting modern colors and paying attention to the details like contrasting baseboards, you make your rental property more appealing. When you increase the appeal you can increase the rents, fill vacancies quickly, and keep quality tenants for longer periods as they are proud to call your unit “home”.
Posted in Landlord Tips, Real Estate Investment Tips, Renter News | No Comments »
Tuesday, July 13th, 2010
By simplifying the process for both landlords and tenants alike, The Rentables has emerged as a major player in the online rental listings business.
(Vocus) July 13, 2010
In the competitive market of apartment rental listings, it can be difficult to stand out. A recent start-up, The Rentables (therentables.com), has taken a fundamentally different approach to providing these listings and has become a cutting edge competitor within a year of its launch.
Andrew C. MacDonald, one of four partners in the company explains: “As owners of income properties, we must market our own properties when vacancies occur. After using other online rental listing services, we realized that most existing rental websites are just not making the process easy and effective. The Rentables aims to make it very simple for landlords to post and manage ads for one or multiple units through a very streamlined process. We’ve spent hundreds if not thousands of hours designing the page flow to make our site as intuitive and fast as we can. There are some very neat features such as interactive filters and side-by-side unit comparison, which not only help tenants in their selection, but also helps landlords determine fair rents for their property.”
The Rentables gives landlords a choice of whether or not to create an account, keeping the posting process very quick. Landlords appreciate this approach and over 48,000 listings have been posted throughout North America. In addition to the listings posted directly to TheRentables.com, visitors can browse thousands more listings from numerous partner sites, which provides a comprehensive selection of rental properties for tenants.
“We have created a website that offers an improved experience for both landlords and tenants, and best of all, it’s free,” states Mr. MacDonald.
Incorporated in August 2009, The Rentables now serves thousands of visitors each month. Andrew believes that traffic will continue to increase significantly over the next six months as more and more people continue to become familiar with the benefits that the site offers to both landlords and tenants. Visit TheRentables.com to find your next apartment for rent online.
Posted in Renter News, The Rentables News | No Comments »
Friday, January 8th, 2010
 Burj Dubai, the world’s tallest building, opened today. You’ve probably heard about it in the media, but the real question is how much would it cost to live there?
Well, if you’re buying a condo at the Burj, expect to pay about $2,700 per square foot and don’t forget about the ongoing maintenance fees on top of that. A two bedroom apartment will cost you about $1.9 million. Not too shabby.
While Dubai’s real estate market has deflated just as fast as it boomed, the Burj Dubai still remains one of the most expensive places to live. The 200 story building will have 37 floors of retail and office space, which are not expected to be cheap. How many companies will actually be willing to foot the rent? We will soon find out.
A few things you probably didn’t know:
- The temperature difference between the top of the tower and the ground level is 10 degrees (C).
- The tower will have 12,000 people living and working inside
- It took about 4 years to built at a cost of $1.5 billion
- The former World Trade Center stacked on top of one another would barely reach the height of the Burj Dubai
Check out this YouTube video of the view from the top:
Burj Dubai – highest man made point (not recommended for those with a fear of heights)
Sources:
Business Week: Burj Dubai
Posted in Apartment Living, Renter News | 2 Comments »
Thursday, December 24th, 2009
You’d think the real estate market in Southwest Florida would be slowing, due to the number of apartments and condos for rent in Sarasota and other areas. Not quite so. The number of condos that exchanged hands in Sarasota in November 2009 increased by 130% compared to a year earlier. The market is clearing.
What’s the cause? Lower prices are bringing people back into the market. Many folks have been waiting to buy their dream condo or house in Florida, and now these transactions are starting to take place. This increase is also attributed to the first time buyer tax incentive established by the state of Florida.
Want to hear some more figures? According to Herald Tribune, “Orlando saw a 301 percent increase in [condo] sales in November from a year ago. Fort Myers-Cape Coral [condo] sales were up 174 percent and Tallahassee saw a 150 percent increase.”
Perhaps it’s time to stop paying attention to all the doom and gloom that you’ve been hearing about real estate, especially in Florida. With real estate prices nearing 2003 levels (prior to the housing boom) and interest rates at an all time low, people who rent in Florida (and elsewhere) should consider jumping in as this market starts to turn and opportunities abound.
Sources:
Herald Tribune: Bargain Hunters Push Sales of Condos in Southwest Florida
Posted in Renter News | No Comments »
Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009
Last week we took a look at the worst commuter cities in America, and we just couldn’t resist another post showing the flip side of that coin. Conveniently, Forbes also posted the top 10 list of best commuter cities in America. The ideal commute is easy, inexpensive, and reliable.
While you may not find an empty freeway as pictured above, these cities may save you a few headaches. At the top of the list is Buffalo, NY, where local residents say you can make the trip between any 2 points in the city in under 20 minutes. Half of the workers in Buffalo have a commute of 20min or less, so this seems to hold true. Here are America’s top 10 cities for commuters:
- Buffalo, NY
- Salt Lake City, UT
- Milwaukee, WI
- Oklahoma City, OK
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Cleveland, OH
- Hartford, CT
- Kansas City, MO
- Cincinnati, OH
- Richmond, VA
If you’re in one of the 10 worst commuter cities and looking to transfer, consider one of the above cities to escape the gridlock. The potential savings in time, frustration and stress make these cities worth a look.
Sources:
Forbes Best and Worst Cities for Commuters
Article Photo – Steve Hanson Photography
Posted in Renter News | No Comments »
Thursday, December 17th, 2009
 Here in Boston, we frequently complain about traffic and other annoyances of our commute to and from the office. According to the Forbes top 10 list, we haven’t even got it that bad. The cause of long commutes is simple; more volume than the infrastructure can handle. Unfortunately, the solution is never this easy.
At the top of the list is Atlanta, GA whose commuters spend an average of 60 hours a year stuck in traffic delays. If coming to a halt on a freeway causes your blood to boil, you can extend your life by avoiding these cities (America’s 10 Worst Commuter Cities):
- Atlanta, GA
- Detroit, MI
- Miami, FL
- Orlando, FL
- Dallas, TX
- Tampa, FL
- Washington, DC
- Houston, TX
- Los Angeles, CA
- San Francisco, CA
After reading thru the Forbes list of Best and Worst Cities for Commuters, renting a condo in Boston close to the office seems like a no-brainer. Consider saving time and stress by avoiding these cities, or renting close to work.
Sources:
Forbes Best and Worst Cities for Commuters
Posted in Renter News | No Comments »
Sunday, December 13th, 2009
When deciding whether to buy or to rent a condo in Florida, you need to consider the following: which option results in less money leaving your pocket?
Costs of renting
There are generally two costs associated with renting, which are:
1. Monthly rent
2. Utilities
There are usually no costs associated with repairs and maintenance of the unit since this is taken care of by the property owner.
Cost of owning
Owning a condo has additional costs over renting such as:
1. Mortgage interest and principal payments
2. Property taxes
3. Utilities
4. Condo fees
5. Unit maintenance
Of course many condos offer extended services such as in-unit washer/dryer, concierge services, and more designed to improve your quality of living beyond the typical rental apartment.
To buy or to rent
If your monthly fees for all costs associated with owning a condo (excluding the principal portion of your mortgage payment) is higher than the cost of renting (for a comparable unit), consider the following scenarios:
1. Make a larger down payment on a condo to reduce your interest to the point where renting actually costs more
2. If you choose to buy, consider having a roommate and collecting monthly rent and sharing utilities to reduce your costs
3. Continue renting and saving as much as possible every month to put down a larger down payment in the future – why? Because if renting is cheaper, you can save money faster than you can pay off the principal on your mortgage.
Florida offers a variety of water front condos for rent in Boca Raton, Miami Beach, North Miami, compare them to for sale listings on Zillow.com, consider talking to your accountant to learn more about tax credits you can receive and make your choices after becoming well informed.
Posted in Apartment Living, Rental Tips, Renter News | No Comments »
Friday, November 27th, 2009
Emerging Trends in Real Estate 2010 report is out and there are a few main points to take away from it.
First off, the Los Angeles real estate market (along with other major urban centers) will be recovering faster than other non urban areas. The main reason is because a lot of the federal spending is being focused on California, and specifically its metropolitan areas, including LA.
That is good news for the rental market in Los Angeles. Lower unemployment means that people can afford to move again. At the same time, landlords won’t have to make as many concessions during lease negotiations. If you’re in the rental market and looking for a place in LA, check out apartments for rent in Los Angeles.
The report also points out that green building trends are being put aside right now. While California is home to many companies that focus on alternative energies, green technologies are still expensive to implement. “Green buildings” have higher initial building costs, even if they make up for it over time.
The report predicts that overall housing development activity will remain low, especially commercial development. This makes sense as the market needs to clear any excess supply that is currently out there.
You can read more about the Emerging Trends in Real Estate 2010 report on Urban Land Institute’s website.
Oregon Live also has a good brief of the report.
Posted in Renter News | 2 Comments »
Monday, November 23rd, 2009
 There are hundreds of websites out there offering you a variety of apartment listings to help you in your search of that perfect dwelling, but which to choose? After analyzing various online listing services, we have come to the conclusion that quality listings are key and often quality listings can only be found off-line in your local classifieds. Local newspaper ads are often posted by older landlords who are not internet savvy. Tenants can find real jewels in great areas for cheaper prices with better amenities included.
If you are looking for greater variety or want photos before seeing the property, take a look at some of the online sites such as Craiglist, Kijiji, Oodle or the apartments for rent in Seattle listings at The Rentables.
Keep in mind, it’s generally better to search these websites where landlords can list their units for free because they will have the greatest variety and possibly be able to extend those savings onto you – the tenant.
Posted in Landlord News, Renter News, Student Rentals | No Comments »
Monday, October 26th, 2009
 Vancouver is widely known for its high rental and house prices. If you’re planning to attend the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, you may want to consider finding a place to stay sooner rather than later. The majority of hotels have already been booked.
Of course, you can always look through your Facebook friend list and see if anyone lives in Vancouver now; maybe they like you enough to let you crash at their house for a few weeks. You can visit a couch surfing website and try your luck seeking out a good Samaritan who will let you sleep on their couch. Luckily Canadians are fairly open to couch surfing, and there are thousands of registered couches throughout Canada.
If you’re still unsuccessful or if you’re traveling with company, you may want to consider renting an apartment in the area. Hotel prices have become so high during February 2010 that it may be cheaper to rent an apartment for a month.
Time for a shameless plug: The Rentables is a great place to find an apartment for rent in Vancouver. The site offers maps, interactive filters, and thousands of immediately available for rent listings in Vancouver, the rest of Canada, and the United States.
If you don’t find what you’re looking for at The Rentables, be sure to check out the competition: PadMapper (which we at The Rentables like very much, despite differences in data quality), myhood (which has reviews of buildings, but availability of units is of concern), and ViewIt.ca (which is for some reason popular in Canadian urban centres).
Posted in Renter News | 1 Comment »
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