How much does a move in date matter when trying to rent a house/condo?

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springmom_IHB

springmom_IHB

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We live in an IAC apt. now and our lease is up 7/20, but we set our move in date as 7/16 or so. We started looking for a sfr/condo/townhouse to rent about 2 weeks ago. We have excellent credit, an excellent credit score, very little debt (1 cc and 1 car loan) and have both been at our jobs for over 5 years.



An agent is helping us and we found a place we liked and they really liked us, but they wanted someone that could move in on the 1st - which we won't do because it just does not make economic sense. We found another place we liked and the agent submitted our app and credit info on Friday and told me today she called them to "push" us a little more. She also said this is a "quiet time" of the month and that agents are trying to see if they can get people in the properties on the 1st and that we should hear something by the end of next week. That unfortunately is too late for us, because it would be past our 30 day notice date.



So my question is for those of you in the know or who have had this experience - does 2 weeks really make that much difference to a landlord if they could wait and instead get really good tenants?
 
[quote author="springmom" date=1245043362]We live in an IAC apt. now and our lease is up 7/20, but we set our move in date as 7/16 or so. We started looking for a sfr/condo/townhouse to rent about 2 weeks ago. We have excellent credit, an excellent credit score, very little debt (1 cc and 1 car loan) and have both been at our jobs for over 5 years.



An agent is helping us and we found a place we liked and they really liked us, but they wanted someone that could move in on the 1st - which we won't do because it just does not make economic sense. We found another place we liked and the agent submitted our app and credit info on Friday and told me today she called them to "push" us a little more. She also said this is a "quiet time" of the month and that agents are trying to see if they can get people in the properties on the 1st and that we should hear something by the end of next week. That unfortunately is too late for us, because it would be past our 30 day notice date.



So my question is for those of you in the know or who have had this experience - does 2 weeks really make that much difference to a landlord if they could wait and instead get really good tenants?</blockquote>


To get the place I am in now, I had to pay overlapping rents for part of a month. Landlords do not like vacancy loss, so they will try to get you to pay for the portion of the month you do not use when you move in. Moving in on or around the 1st is better for landlords because it is easier to time move in and move out.
 
Thanks for the reply IR.



Yes they did try to get us to pay the extra rent from the 1st for July for the first place we liked, but my husband just won't do it. They did find a tenant that could move in on the first, but then called our agent back to see if we were still interested a few days later because there were some other "issues" with that tenant. Yes, we wish our lease was up closer to the first.
 
You're a month out. If the place is empty and no work is needed, the landlord is going to want it rented. I've done and would do what IPO did and take place for the 1st and relax on the move. You've have a much easier time with the next move if you're at the 1st.
 
as a landlord i'd say for good tenants i would just prorate from the day they want to move in, for great tenants i would just start them at the beginning of the month. What i don't want is to have to find a new tenant after 1 year. i'd rather have good people stay for a long time
 
[quote author="Ameesh" date=1245063148]as a landlord i'd say for good tenants i would just prorate from the day they want to move in, for great tenants i would just start them at the beginning of the month. What i don't want is to have to find a new tenant after 1 year. i'd rather have good people stay for a long time</blockquote>
Agreed. I would even give my tenants a week's free worth of rent (prior to month end) so they can take their time to move in. Good tenants are worth their weight in gold.
 
[quote author="usctrojanman29" date=1245063375][quote author="Ameesh" date=1245063148]as a landlord i'd say for good tenants i would just prorate from the day they want to move in, for great tenants i would just start them at the beginning of the month. What i don't want is to have to find a new tenant after 1 year. i'd rather have good people stay for a long time</blockquote>
Agreed. I would even give my tenants a week's free worth of rent (prior to month end) so they can take their time to move in. Good tenants are worth their weight in gold.</blockquote>


Dang, I wish we were trying to rent from you either of you! We have been in this IAC complex since we moved to Irvine 6 years ago and always pay our rent on time, etc. Our agent keeps saying we have to play the waiting game. sigh.
 
The problem with the 'good tenant' logic is that it's not entirely easy for the landlord to tell who the 'good' tenant who is going to stay for 3 years is. Unfortunately, every prospective tenant thinks they are a good tenant. Just having 'good credit and little debt' doesn't make it a terribly exclusive club in a place like Irvine. Therefore the landlord doesn't give away a bunch of stuff to a prospective tenant who may or may not be a good tenant. Once you've been there for a while and demonstrated that you are a good tenant, then a landlord might be a little more accomodating.
 
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