Florida is the ultimate destination for people who want to live out their vacation in paradise. With all of its sunny days and beautiful scenery, it’s easy on your wallet too!
That being said, renting here involves more than just signing a lease on the first meeting with the landlord. If you are interested in renting an apartment in Florida, you need to make a good first impression. The more prepared you are, the likelier it will be for your application to be accepted. Here are the main steps that you need to go through.
Submit the Application
In many countries, when you attempt to rent an apartment, the property is often leased on a first-come, first-served basis. You sign the contract within a month’s notice, and then you move in. However, in Florida, you need to be “accepted” first. The renting process starts with an application, where you include as much information about yourself as you can.
Landlords will often require a background check to see whether you have a criminal record or not. They may also require information on the people you are surrounded by. For instance, if you have close friends and family with a black stain on their record, it may cause concern. After all, if you invite them over, there is a risk that they might cause trouble. Even if there aren’t any risks, some landlords may not want to take that chance.
Prove Your Income
Next, you need to prove the fact that you have the finances to pay the rent. Rental contracts in Florida are signed on a longer term, so if you are going to stay there, they have to be sure you won’t skip on your monthly payment. Not every homeowner asks for this, but if they do, you must be ready with the paperwork.
For instance, you may get a document from your employer that shows your monthly income. If you have your own business or cannot get a copy of that document, then you may get a bank statement that shows how much money you receive every month. If you just moved into Florida and have yet to find a job, you may also show a bank statement. This way, they will know that you had a stable income before coming to Florida. It will also help if you have money in your savings account that can cover the costs for a month or two.
Review the Contract
Rental contracts for apartments for rent in Florida can be very detailed, often taking several pages. They may also have attachments about specific parts of the property and how to take care of them. For instance, the attachments may talk about certain products to be used for cleaning the floors or providing a pet’s DNA. The latter may be used to issue fines to the owner if they don’t clean after their pet.
It’s important to read every part of the contract, as some clauses may affect your lifestyle. For instance, some may say that you cannot make too much noise in the home at a specific hour, that you cannot smoke on the premises, or that you cannot bring a pet on the property. Every aspect needs to be agreed to or modified, depending on the circumstances.
Agree on the Living Terms
Some homes may be leased for as little as a month, whereas others may require you to rent for at least a year. This usually depends on the landowner and the categories of people that they cater to. For instance, if they rent to vacationers or digital nomads, they might set a minimum of a couple of days. On the other hand, if they are renting to families, they might set a minimum of one year.
Living terms may also include whether the apartment has any furniture or not. Most apartments for rent in Florida are not furnished except for the kitchen and bathroom. For the rest, you will have to bring the items yourself. Some landlords may connect you to places where you can rent furniture, but this may add to the rental cost.
Suggest Modifications or Sign the Contract
Any modifications that you may have in mind should be addressed at this point. This may also be a good time to negotiate the price of the rent. If there are any issues with the apartment, you may use this opportunity to get a better price. If there aren’t any issues, the only thing left for you to do is to sign the contract.
Renting an apartment in Florida might have different steps compared to other states, as well as different rules and safety measures. At the same time, each place has its own requirements. This is why you should view as many rental properties as possible before you sign the lease, to make sure that you get the property that you want.
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