Finding a quality rental home in Santa Clarita can be a daunting task indeed. In a market like the current one, homes tend to be flying off the shelf so to speak. Not only does this make it difficult to land a great property, but it can cause a lot of stress! Here are some great tips for your next rental home search. Read on my friends!
1. Know where to look.
In the old days, you would hear about a vacancy via word of mouth ofr the local paper. While those are still great sources, modern technology allows us access to several great more resources! If you Google search a term like "homes for rent in..." you should be able to find several classified postings specific to your city. Other prime spots to check are Craigslist.org, Rent.com, etc. You can also search for homes that are rented out and maintained professionally by searching for terms like "Santa Clarita property management" or "(your city) property management" online. Most areas of California are covered by multiple property management companies, each with several listings to show and offer. Here in Santa Clarita, there are 3-4 major companies and several real estate agents that do property management on the side.
2. Know what to look out for.
Keep an eye out (especially on Craigslist) for deals that seem too good to be true. Because they probably are! We get calls regularly from folks that have been scammed one way or another by people who rent out homes they don't own, rip off security deposits, rent a home they are losing, etc. Play it safe and play it smart! If you are renting from a management company, you typically have a bit more protection, but if you choose to rent private party, do your homework and make sure you aren't being taken for a ride!
3. Know the market!
As I mentioned earlier, the local market here in Santa Clarita is moving fast. If you live in an area with similar conditions, I would suggest making sure you know what you want, and take it when you find it! We recently placed a property on the market that generatedabout 12 showings and 3 applications to rent within about one week of hitting our site! If you see a home that you love and try to lowball or stall on an offer, be aware that you are likely not the only person in line, cash in hand, to rent that home.
Other great tips and tricks are available on this blog and through our website. We plan to continue making information available to the masses or renters out there, so stay tuned!
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