https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 20 Apr 2026 08:40:02 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/renting-out-your-house#post-2887757 Thu, 13 Jun 2019 12:20:28 +0000 psw27 2887757@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Ajsmommy: That's amazing news! Congrats! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/renting-out-your-house#post-2887746 Thu, 13 Jun 2019 11:58:01 +0000 Ajsmommy 2887746@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Good news, someone applied to rent it for 2 years!! yay. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/renting-out-your-house#post-2886992 Thu, 06 Jun 2019 14:33:15 +0000 snarkybiochemist 2886992@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>You mentioned ac might need replacing, if its also your heater check into what the law requires as far as providing heat and when you would need to foot the bill for a hotel stay. Some states require heat and if it cannot be fixed with in 12 hrs you the landlord will have to pay for a hotel stay. So obviously if the heater and ac are the same unit and it fails you might be on the hook for both replacing it and getting someone a hotel. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/renting-out-your-house#post-2886980 Thu, 06 Jun 2019 13:55:33 +0000 psw27 2886980@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Good advice here already but also make sure you put a no smoking clause in the lease. Nothing ruins a house faster than smoking indoors! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/renting-out-your-house#post-2886950 Thu, 06 Jun 2019 09:58:15 +0000 Ajsmommy 2886950@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@BUNBUN: this is all very helpful info. thanks for sharing! I hope this all works out for us too. I'll make sure to mention the tax deductions to DH since he is the "financial" guy</p> <p>@Littlebit7: Thanks for all the input. We have hired a company to rent it out for us so I think they'll take care of all the lease/agreement/legal stuff. And luckily we updated most everything before listing so we should be all set there.. the only thing that is on our radar but obviously we are aware of is the ac unit might need replaced sooner than later...... so we'll keep that in mind </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/renting-out-your-house#post-2886883 Wed, 05 Jun 2019 20:23:32 +0000 Littlebit7 2886883@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>What is the rental market in your area? College town? Young families? </p> <p>I’d make sure you have an iron clad lease. This is when I’d get a lawyer to write something above the standard lease. And have some provisions in case you need or want to sell. Will you sell with a tenant in place? Deliver vacant? Do you need to access for showings while you have a renter? Pets allowed? Sub leases allowed? What if there are roommates, can they pay separately (the answer is no, they cannot pay separately). Notice for renewal, penalties for lease termination etc. No use of your place for air B and B. And learn the laws in your municipality for rent increase/ rent control if that is a thing. </p> <p>Set monies aside for repairs. What if the water heater breaks? It will need to be fixed ASAP. Some tenants are ok with plunging a toilet, Some freak out. Some break out in hives if they have to change a light bulb. Who will do repairs? Have a handyman on call unless you want to do it at 2 am. Detail who is to take care of the lawn. You don’t want to get fined by your city. </p> <p>If you have anything in your house appliance or plumbing/electric wise that is finicky (a faucet, toilet, switch/outlet, washer) replace it BEFORE you get tenants. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/renting-out-your-house#post-2886847 Wed, 05 Jun 2019 16:08:02 +0000 BUNBUN 2886847@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Ajsmommy: It really was. We had listed it for sale or lease, and folks were new to the area and wanted to lease first. Full disclosure: both my husband and I have been renters and landlords before. We were pretty prepared for silly requests and more repairs than expected (the AC and roof needed to be replaced in the 2 years that we rented the house). We just sold that house - while 2 years ago it sat on the market, this time it went into contract in less than 2 weeks.</p> <p>ETA: now that you have an "investment property" you can take deductions for repairs, maintenance, advertising, traveling to check on the property, etc on your taxes. You'll want to track EVERYTHING. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/renting-out-your-house#post-2886845 Wed, 05 Jun 2019 15:36:19 +0000 Ajsmommy 2886845@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@BUNBUN: thank you! Was it a good experience for you? I'm nervous </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/renting-out-your-house#post-2886842 Wed, 05 Jun 2019 15:31:49 +0000 BUNBUN 2886842@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We did this! But we managed it ourselves. Had great renters for 2+ years.<br /> -Try to set up the terms of your lease so that you can put it back on the market at an optimal time (a year would be good, but if it was winter, I'd ask for 9 months or 18 months so that we could prepare it to hit the market in late spring)<br /> -You will need a different insurance policy because the home will not be owner occupied. Renter's policy will only cover their belongings, not the property.<br /> -Read the lease carefully. If your state has a standard lease, be sure to read it carefully and don't assume it includes everything. Eviction is nearly impossible as a landlord, so call references (or ask management company if they do)<br /> -Save yourselves hassle and don't allow pets. I can't tell you how much $ cleaning just one room of carpet cost us (way more than the pet deposit)<br /> -Remember that you will probably have to at least paint after renters leave. Budget for that because our deposit did not come close to covering painting the whole interior<br /> -In your management company contract, find out who covers heating/AC repairs, minor vs. major roof work, etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/renting-out-your-house#post-2886834 Wed, 05 Jun 2019 15:08:14 +0000 Ajsmommy 2886834@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Becky: yes we are using a company<br /> @Ms. RV: will do. I think the renters have to have ins too but I'll double check </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/renting-out-your-house#post-2886830 Wed, 05 Jun 2019 14:49:11 +0000 Ms. RV 2886830@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Talk to your insurance company. They may have new requirements for your policy. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/renting-out-your-house#post-2886825 Wed, 05 Jun 2019 14:40:16 +0000 Becky 2886825@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Are you using a company to manage the property (so you aren’t actually property managers but rather just the property owners)? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/renting-out-your-house#post-2886811 Wed, 05 Jun 2019 13:02:54 +0000 Ajsmommy 2886811@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So we got ourselves into a pickle and it looks like we are going to have to rent out our house. </p> <p>We bought a new house and listed our old house for sale, it's been on the market for 2 months with no offers. We need to refi our new home and in order to do so we have to rent our old house out since it hasn't sold.</p> <p>We've talked about doing it before but now we have to.... so I was wondering what if any advice any other's who have rented out their home/apt/condo would have?</p> <p>We are using a company to list it and rent it for us. We have pictures of the whole thing since it was listed for sale... is there anything else we should be doing or should watch for?? </p>