By Roger Donovan


There are many reasons why a person may be interested in a short-term lease. Whether you are in college for a short time, house hunting, or planning on another move in the near future, a short term lease definitely has its place in today's rental market.

Unfortunately, needing a short term lease narrows your choices. Many landlords are unwilling to provide short-term leases due to the expense involved. In addition, if a landlord does offer a short-term lease, it usually comes at a price.

While it would seem that a prospective tenant needing a short-term lease and a landlord desiring a one-year lease would be in adversarial positions, there are ways to come to an agreement. The tenant needs to look at it from the landlords' view point and make some concessions that will sway the landlord to accept a short-term rental term.

First of all, as a tenant, you should know short-term leases usually mean higher rent and limited deposits. So you should first find a property with low occupancy rates, so that the landlord will be more willing to accept your terms.

It is also a good negotiation point if you are willing to move in immediately and pay some of your rent in advance. If you don't mind cleaning up a place, offering to clean up a rental in return for a lease agreement with your terms can be a plus. Landlords are more likely to work with short-term tenants who bring something to the table.

Landlords often will repaint an entire apartment prior to renting the unit out; by offering to accept the apartment as-is, the landlord can delay that expense, at least until the end of your short-term lease. Likewise, not having to repair or replace window coverings and appliances helps the landlords' more immediate cash flow. Sweetening the deal by prepaying rent for two or more months will also entice the landlord to accepting your offer.

You should also do something for yourself, as a tenant. Check and make sure you won't have to pay for any necessity you won't actually use.

Taking a few of the suggestions above and bringing to the table lease terms that are advantageous to both parties can usually get you what you are looking for. A short term lease is not unheard of; it just takes a little finesse to get you a lease with which both you and the landlord will be happy.




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