Renting a house or an apartment for that matter is nothing short of making a big commitment, financial and otherwise. There are a number of things you should be aware of, to ask the right questions before signing the agreement. But here are a few that you must ask in order to be well informed to make the decision, of taking up the place or not. The rent agreement: The most important factor is to consider are the clauses in the rent agreement. This is a binding legal contract for both parties and there are consequences in case any clause is violated. Never hesitate to ask the landlord or better yet, an expert who will understand the terms and conditions of the clauses binding, in case you don't understand something. There might be certain terms which cannot be interpreted by both parties, this is where special help is needed in the form of an attorney or legal advisor. Ask for all documents: As a tenant, you can ask for the documents like title of the said property, maintenance receipts and more to verify that the property belongs to the owner. This is a necessary step to avoid being duped, since some properties might be mortgaged but are still being let out for rent. This situation might be extremely tricky for the tenant in case the owner defaults on payments and the bank decided to seize the property. What is included in the rent? This is a very important question to ask, what is included in the monthly rent that you have agreed or will agree to pay. In some cases, the rent might be just for the space being let out, in other cases rent will be inclusive of certain amenities provided by the owner. If the apartment or house is furnished, make sure you do a thorough inspection of everything to ensure proper working condition and good maintenance. Restrictions, if any? Some homeowners might have a couple of restriction in place, which for you as a tenant just might be a deal breaker. This is a problem if you are renting an apartment in the city too. You might own a car and find out there is no street parking or any parking for that matter close by. Check before hand with the owner and the supervisor of the building to confirm if pets are allowed. You wouldn't want to rent a place where your furry friend is not allowed.

It doesn't matter if you are renting a house or an apartment for that matter, the basics never change. Buying property and renting property are not so different after all except for the fact that in the latter, you only get possession temporarily. But the same amount of work and effort goes into renting, since there are vital things to be considered before signing that lease or agreement. Here are a few tips on how to look for the best, at the best price! Decide on what to rent: Normally you want to rent a house in the suburbs or you might want to rent an apartment in the city. Take into account all the pros and cons before making up your mind. If you are going for that nice two or three-bedroom house in the suburbs, with a small garden and all the parking you will ever need, factor in how much time it will take for you to get to the city. You will have to commute a lot, not just you but everyone in the family. However, if you are willing to take the subway or carpool with your office buds to work, taking up an apartment in the city doesn't sound so bad after all. You won't have to travel far for all the necessities that might be needed including groceries and provisions, with your favorite restaurant just a couple of blocks away. This will majorly depend on the occupancy and convenience for that matter. An apartment in the city just might get a bit crowded, if the family is big. If it is just you and your girlfriend or spouse, find a place to stay which is close by to where you work or at least well connected. If you are a family of four with little Jack and Jane wanting to ride their bikes down the street or play with other children in the neighborhood, get a place in the suburbs. Consider all costs: Renting an apartment or house for that matter is more expensive than you thought it might be in the first place. Consider all the short term and long term costs that you might be incurring, other than the actual rent. Make a list of what all might be needed, in case the apartment or house is unfurnished, take those costs into account. Also make a list of what is not needed, since hoarding unwanted stuff will just add to your problems. Consider other factors like decorating, whether minor renovations allowed or not, whether pets are allowed or not, are the lease or rent terms beneficial for you first and foremost amongst many other things.

Townhomes are emerging as the preferred choice, when it comes to renting property. These are in many ways better than your regular residential homes. In fact townhouse and townhomes as they call it are more in demand than properties like family for the following reasons. Design and architecture: Compared to other residential properties, townhome apartments are designed with a couple of floors which give it that elegant and enhanced look which even family homes cannot pull off. Townhomes feature at least two floors, perfect setup for a big family with children as well who can play upstairs while their parents can have a nice quite dinner with a few guests. Opportunity to run your business from home: Townhome will give you all the space ever needed to work from home, without breaking that delicate work life balance. This will of course depend on whether you can procure zoning permits to convert part of your residence into a work space, but it is quite manageable. Living areas and work areas can be divided according to the layout of the townhouse, to suit your needs. Garden and backyard: What apartments and condos cannot offer, even single family homes for that matter, townhomes offer a great backyard which you can convert into your own personal garden of your children to play and for you to have a nice cup of tea with your beloved on a lovely Saturday evening, preparing yourself for the best day to some next. Garden spaces give you the opportunity to host a couple of barbeques and cookouts to know more about your neighbors and get introduced to all the members of the community. Basement: The biggest problem with regular apartments is once you get too comfortable, chance are you might start hoarding a lot of stuff over the years. But then there will be no space to store everything which you may or may not need. Townhomes solve this problem by offering basement storage where everything can be moved. Creative people who are in the business can make the most of the storage space available at their disposal to be converted into a semiprofessional studio, art studio and for more purposes. Privacy: Privacy is very hard to come by and very costly to afford for that matter, apartments and condos will always lack privacy, be it for a family or you living all on your own. Townhomes offer that privacy, for the best price ultimately.

Negotiating the price for anything you buy can be a tedious and challenging task, especially when you have met your match who is just as good as you are at bargaining. But when it comes to substantial investment, a little bargaining will go a long way if you play your cards right. Here are a few tips which will just help you gain the upper hand. Finance, it is the first thing that you should take care of before you even look for a house. Consider key factors like pre approval of mortgage before you even make an offer on the said property. Your offer will be more convincing when you have already have the finances ready to back it up. Take into account the interest rate which you will be incurring on your loan. Consider the principal amount and calculate how much interest you will be incurring on multiple mortgage options. If the difference between the two is not so substantial, a little extra funds can help you buy the right house for the best price. Don't lose out on a better property deal just because the interest rate was a couple of dollars higher on the second mortgage option. Having an agent or property expert who can ascertain the appropriate market value of the house is advisable. You won't be able to make a low offer on any property which is currently under priced or selling at below the market rate. This is where the expert will come in handy and can suggest you the best course of action, financial and otherwise. Property will be in demand. Especially properties which are located in prime areas of the city or close to famous landmarks like the Central Park in New York City. Property surrounding this area for example will sell like hot cakes and for a good price. If you have the budget and are sure that you can afford interest rates, taxes and additional expenses, do not hesitate to go for such properties since they will be in demand. Make your first offer the best you can, keeping in mind of course the other factors discussed. Be prepared and willing to compromise on certain factors. Your first offer will ensure your interest in the property. However, there might be something that you don't like, for example the decor or layout. These are things that can be easily changed and modified, so it is best advisable to let the little things go and look at the bigger picture.

After having done a thorough research, you finally have narrowed down on that beautiful piece of real estate. You have the finances to back you up and at the same time, everything that might be needed to comfortably settle in. But before you do that, have you asked the following question to the landlord before you go ahead and sign the lease agreement. Ask about the townhome association rules and regulations. Townhouse are built on a community based system which means that there are a number of common rules and regulations which apply to each and every resident in the gated community. There might also be restrictions on types of pets allowed or in some case no pets allowed inside the community. Check with the people who are already living there, since the owner might just forget to mention some of the byelaws. The association will also have guidelines for any townhome upgrades, for which permission has to be obtained. Check with the owner and association for that matter, how much will be the monthly additional fees that will be incurred for maintenance and other purposes apart from the rent you have agreed to pay. This includes a number of items right from grounds maintenance, exterior maintenance, water, sewer services, road maintenance, snow ploughing, trash pickup and other amenities within the township. Paying for maintenance is just one aspect, find out exactly who is responsible for the work which needs to be carried out. Talk to the owner and confirm who are the people responsible, ask around with the neighbors if proper repairs and maintenance are carried out on a regular basis. Check with the owner and association firsthand about parking spaces, number of spaces allotted and whether there is any guest parking facility available. You don't want to be stranded in the middle of the road, wondering where to park your expensive ride. Ensure the right people provide you with the proper permits, to avoid future hassles. The community will have plans for expansion and additional work which will be carried out. Find out who is in charge of the main complex and will be overseeing the expansion plans. This will be beneficial since maybe down the line you might actually plan to buy a townhome property after trying it out for some time. Having prior knowledge of the community and making the right contacts will enable you to gain the upper hand.