Rent HomeButton Blog | Online House and Apartment Rental Links and Resources

The Two Best Rental Search Tools

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Grainger) — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 15:57:00 +0000

Google Maps and Walk Score to Help You Along the Way

HomeButton provides you a huge listing of rental apartments, houses and condos. That’s not all; we also give you two useful online tools – Google Maps and Walk Score – for further convenience in your search for your next home.

Individuals and families looking to rent houses in Calgary or Edmonton consider factors like location and walkability. This is understandable – you will definitely want to live in a safe and pleasant neighborhood; one that is in close proximity to shops, restaurants and schools. Walkability is also another aspect to ponder over, if you prefer to walk around your neighborhood to complete errands as opposed to driving around most of the time. The two free, fantastic tools on our website help you make an informed choice.

Rental Housing Frauds on the Rise

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Grainger) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 20:03:00 +0000

Rental Housing Frauds on the Rise – Beware and Make Smart Choices

Hot on the heels of an advisory by the Federation of Rental-housing Providers of Ontario (FRPO), we would like to warn you about the increasing rate of rental housing frauds in the country. Scamsters are taking tenants for a ride, often cleverly disguising themselves as bona fide landlords. Don’t be too worried though – there are quite a few ways to figure out whether or not the rental offer is a genuine one.

Here are the warning signs that FRPO wants you to consider:

Price is unbelievably low – It is always a good idea to verify the going price for rental properties in the particular area before putting down your hard-earned money. While you can expect rental homes in Edmonton to be very competitive, anything significantly less than the market value should raise a red flag.

Email communication only – Understandably, most fraudsters will like to keep their identity under wraps, preferring to communicate with you only via email. If they strongly insist on not meeting you in person, you may want to pause and rethink things.

Cash deposit only – Scamsters typically ask for payment in cash; this is because paper currency is hard to trace and makes the job of investigating the scamster’s location and details difficult.

Asking for money to be wired – It is difficult to both trace money transfers and cancel transactions. Wiring money to a stranger posing as a landlord is ill-advised.

What should you do?

To stay on the safe side, you can take some precautions in your dealings with landlords and in the process of renting apartments in Calgary or Edmonton.

Scan attachments – There are reports of email scams by landlords, wherein unsuspecting renters are emailed attachments of home photos and/or other details. These attachments contain a virus that fools your web browser into thinking you are visiting a legitimate site, when in fact it is the scamming landlord’s site. The best defense is to install quality anti-virus software and scan all attachments from prospective landlords before opening them.

See the place: Make sure you visit the rental home in question before providing any personal or financial details to the landlord, even if he/she insists it’s for a form/application.

Enquire with neighbors: FRPO recommends that you talk to neighbors about the property and the landlord as a way of validating everything you have gathered from your interactions with the landlord. Neighbors can also be crucial in helping you verify if the landlord is indeed who he says he is (see below).

Ensure that the landlord or property manager is who he claims to be: Don’t be fooled by the ‘middleman scam’. In this case, the ‘landlord’ tells you that the owner of the apartment/house is overseas, sick or unavailable, and that he has been requested to fill in for the individual. Basically, you never know or come in contact with the real property owner and only deal with the so-called friend. This scam is more common than you may imagine - don’t fall for it!

What to do when you’ve been scammed

If a scamsters has got the better of you, don’t hesitate to report the matter to the

- Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre
- Your local RCMP Detachment or police service
- Internet Fraud Complaint Center

Warning: Rental Scams

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Grainger) — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 20:37:00 +0000

Rental Scams to Watch Out For

Learn How to Protect Yourself

Fraudsters have been known to "hijack" rental ads from one website, and post them to another website - claiming to be the landlord.

The scammers cash in once they convince renters that they've secured the rental and a deposit is paid. The scammers payment method of choice is usually Western Union money transfers.

Dead Giveaways of Fraudulent Rental Listings and Landlords

#1. They can't 'meet you in person. The majority of fraudulent "landlords" always state that they are out of the country, either for work or vacation, and cannot meet in person.
#2. They tug at the heart-strings. Fraudsters like to "bless you" and make praise to God and other religious references in their email correspondence. They might tell you they're currently volunteering at an African orphanage, on a pilgrimage, or even in the midst of a medical or family crisis.
#3. It's all too good to be true. As life has already taught you: if the deal sounds too good to be true; it probably isn't.

How to Protect Yourself

Remember to deal locally and always meet with a landlord in person. Never advance funds to landlords you haven't met. Most home rental websites like HomeButton.ca do not offer payment processing or purchase protection - they simply connect renters with landlords.

Use common sense and do not send money to someone outside your region and remember to take practical business precautions!

Learn to Spot Legitimacy

Once you've connected with a landlord, take a look at their email address. If it ends in @hotmail.com, @gmail.com, or any other "free" web-based email service extension, take precautions. Fraudsters use free email services like this because they can set them up quick without having to provide any identification or credentials. Their next move is then to hijack a listing from a home rental website, post it as their own, and then wait for renters like you to take the bait.

Home rental websites like HomeButton.ca cannot validate the credibility of landlords using free, web-based email accounts. Remember though, that many credible landlords DO use such accounts so you have to look a little deeper.

If you have concerns, speak with the landlord over the phone and certainly meet in person. If you still have concerns, take extra precautions.

For your safety, HomeButton publishes a page containing verified landlords under the wing of professional property management companies here http://homebutton.ca/property-management-companies/. You can rest assured that these are credible sources to find your next house or apartment rental.

Remember to Do Your Part to Help Other Renters

If you come accross a suspicious rental advertisement, or connect with a landlord who you believe to be posting a fraudulent listing, report them. Start by reporting the listing to the administrators of the website you found them on. Be sure to request confirmation that the website administrators forward the details to the proper authorities. If you do not receive confirmation, report the listing yourself. Doing your part in helping to identify fraudulent ads may help other renters who may have ignored the signs.

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Renters: Wheeling & Dealing 101

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Grainger) — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 21:10:00 +0000

Renting? Get the best bang for your buck!

Remember that most landlords are business people. You're not obligated to take all arrangements at face value, on the first offer, so don't.

Examples:

Negotiate lower rent
If your rent is $1000 per month and you want to widdle down to $900 per month, the landlord will likely tell you to take a hike. However, a long-term renter is good news to a landlord, so instead propose to sign a 2-3 year lease at $900 per month. With a security deposit, your landlord will consider. Worst-case scenario is they'll say no, but it never hurts to ask, and may present opportunity to meet in the middle at $950 per month. Now you've saved $600 per year and can get that new TV you've had your eye on!

Negotiate more space
Space is always an issue with renters. Storage is a concern, and paying for storage is costly. If you need extra space, consider negotiating with your landlord. For instance, if you rent upstairs and another tenant rents downstairs, storage space can be tight. However, odds are there's space under the stairs, in the furnace room, in the laundry room, in a yard shed, garage, and attic. An extra $20 per month may be all it takes to convince your landlord to offer that space exclusively for you.

Negotiate pets
Found your new, perfect rental home? Disappointed to learn pets aren't allowed? Don't attempt to sway your landlords decision by convincing them your pets are innocent, clean and quiet. Instead, speak to them in a language they'll understand and put your money where your mouth is. For example, if your pets really are innocent, clean and quiet - offer your landlord an extra refundable deposit to allow the pets. Be prepared to step up the offer and provide a larger-than-expected deposit. Or, ask specifically where pet's aren't allowed - you might find that keeping cats upstairs on the laminate flooring is OK, while downstairs on the carpet flooring is disallowed. Many different kinds of pets may actually be allowed after you offer quarterly air vent and carpet cleaning. Again, worst-case scenario is landlords will say no, but it never hurts to ask, and pay present an opportunity to meet in the middle.

Negotiating with property management companies may be more difficult, as they have dozens, hundreds or even thousands of renters who all have to play by the same rules. If you're renting a house from an individual landlord, however, exercise your negotiating skills!

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Landlords: Why You Never Want Your Rental Property Utilities in Your Name

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Grainger) — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 20:55:00 +0000

Use common sense.

Would you cosign a renters vehicle loan? Probably not, because chances are you don't know your renter that well. Common sense begs the question: why would you put your name on something that's your renters responsibility? If your rental homes utilities are NOT included in the rent, ensure your renters has the utilities in their name.

Who's responsible?
If you renter falls behind on paying bills, don't set yourself up for the responsibility of paying up before a collection notice is issued. Leave the bills in your renters name and it becomes their sole responsibility, or else.

Bills still arrive after renters move out.
When you insist on utility bills being in the renters name, they are required to pay in full even after they exit your property. Regardless of how great your renters are, it's difficult to connect with them after they've moved out, especially if it's to collect money owing for utility bills.

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Top 10 Rental Property Safety Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Grainger) — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 20:46:00 +0000

Top 10 Rental Property Safety Tips

Keep your rental property safe, and protect yourself at the same time! If you're a landlord renting a house, be sure to cover these bases or your investment decision could blow up in your face.

1. Make it safe
Ensure steps & walkways are in good condition, install handrails, and have an electrician do a safety audit on all lights, switches and outlets. Avoid zaps, slips and falls and you avoid calls from a personal injury lawyer!

2. Make it secure
Simple and low-cost security measures will help reduce break-in risks and increase the longevity of your investment. Install window bars, proper door handles & locks, door chimes and alarms, and motion-sensor lighting around the perimeter of your home.

3. Be diligent with background checks
When your renter supplies references do your proper diligence and perform a thorough background check. Call ALL references, current employer, past employer, and make proper inquiries such as responsibility, financial independence, reliability, etc. If your renter cannot produce references, do not rent to him/her.

4. Be firm
Ensure your firmly enforce the rules, restrictions and boundaries of your rental property to your renters. Communicate to them what's important to you to as far as security precautions go, in the interest of safety for both parties. Ensure they understand the rules and communicate them to visiting friends and relatives, and/or housesitters. Things like no extra-key-cutting, enforcing doors locked at all times, keeping garage overhead doors closed, and reporting suspicious activity in the neighborhood are good examples of security issues you need to communicate to your renters.

5. Stick to code and pay attention to bylaws
Know the construction codes and bylaws in your province and city, and stick to them at all times. Building or renovating without permits is a bad decision, especially if you plan on renting your property. Save yourself a potential nightmare full of fines, risks and liabilities by paying attention to code and bylaws.

6. Invest in home security
Start by requesting a home security audit or assessment from a home security company. Most companies offer consultation for free. Decide on what home security features you want done professionally, and which you want to do yourself. There are many do-it-yourself home security additions you may do yourself at low-cost such as upgrading door locks, installing new gate locks, and installing blinds. Technology as simple as webcams and wireless video cameras are not only a deterrent to burglars, but quite affordable and easy to setup. The monitoring features will also allow you to check in on your rental property from time to time, for peace of mind.

7. Connect with your neighbors
Meet your neighbors, share phone numbers, and agree to keep an eye on each others properties. Your neighbors will be just as concerned with your home security as they are theirs, as they're more or less connected. Agree to report suspicious activity to each other and ensure both parties know who should and who should not be lurking around the yard!

8. Keep proper photo records and documentation
This tip isn't so much a home security tip as a common-sense tip for landlords. Your belongings, and those of your tenants, should be photographed and documented in the case theft. Determined burglars will get into your home, that's a fact, so be prepared for the worst and make sure your assets are recorded/documented and covered within your home owners insurance.

9. Trust your gut instincts
If your gut tells you something's wrong, it probably is. If you've received a rental inquiry from someone who appeared to be scoping out the joint vs legitimately inquiring about the rental property, trust your gut and be on guard. If suspicious characters are spotted scoping out your neighborhood claiming to look for a lost pet, report them. Trust your gut instincts and don't let your guard down, otherwise you might just let trouble walk through the front door.

10. Use common sense
The single best tip in this list: use common sense. If you opt out of blinds and curtains, thus allowing burglars to peer into your furnished rental property and "window shop", it's only a matter of time before they take the next step and break in. If you have a loose door-locking policy for your home and garage, it's only a matter of time before items go missing. If you do not enforce safety and security rules/policies with your renters, they'll neglect them and you both will eventually pay the price. Use common sense and you'll drastically increase your chances of maintaining a safe and secure rental property.

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Best Places to Find Home Rental Ads

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Grainger) — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 00:43:00 +0000

We've got the goods!

There are many great places online to find homes and apartments for rent. Depending on what you're looking for and where you're looking, your options vary. This page will help identify some great resources and offer tips for students, families and employees in need of rental accommodations.

Families

We recommend families use websites like HomeButton to find houses and apartments for rent. Utilize search tools like Google Maps and Walkscore to ensure the location is perfect. Websites like HomeButton also offer landlords to add an unlimited number of photos for free, enabling renters to see as many angles of the home, lot and neighborhood as possible.

Students

Location is everything for students who need to avoid long commutes and save some money while attending school. Chances are, your school has as department or online resource that caters to students looking for dorms, rooms and apartments for rent. These resources are dedicated to students and focus less on in-home amenities and more on nearby amenities, walking distances, and low-cost features.

Employees

Employees who are relocating for work and need temporary rental accommodation can start looking just about anywhere. The Government of Canada has many online resources for workers looking for accommodation, and chances are the employers do to. Many large companies hire professional property management companies and placement officials who are dedicated to finding perfect living arrangements for relocating employees and temporary workers. Many property management companies specialize in not only finding the perfect rental home, but furnished suites as well.

Try these home rental websites below - your new rental home is only a few clicks away!

House and Apartment Rental Websites

HomeButton.ca

Easy to search for houses, condos, townhouses and apartments to rent
Free to use
Rental listings shown on Google Map

RentFaster.ca
GottaRent.ca
HomeTrader.ca

The Classified Ad Websites

Kijiji.ca

By the time you find it, it's already gone

Craigslist.ca

Lots of rental listings, but the website has a very poor reputation

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Looking for a new house or apartment for rent? Try the new HomeButton.ca