O give me a home ...
August 3, 2013 5:10 AM Subscribe
How to find single-family home rentals where there aren't any?
We've searched realtor sites, CraigsList, newspaper classifieds, various RentToOwn websites, Zillow/ Trulia, and similar sites. We've also placed an ad on CraigsList and had a realtor search for us as well.
We're looking for a 2+ bedroom single family home in southern New Hampshire (specifically anywhere between Plaistow & Exeter) & are finding very few options.
What else could we try?
Thoughts I've had:
-- contact local towns & banks to see if they own foreclosed properties that they might be willing to rent
-- buying a Facebook ad for those areas
A large condo could work, except we have a large dog ...
What are we missing??
We've searched realtor sites, CraigsList, newspaper classifieds, various RentToOwn websites, Zillow/ Trulia, and similar sites. We've also placed an ad on CraigsList and had a realtor search for us as well.
We're looking for a 2+ bedroom single family home in southern New Hampshire (specifically anywhere between Plaistow & Exeter) & are finding very few options.
What else could we try?
Thoughts I've had:
-- contact local towns & banks to see if they own foreclosed properties that they might be willing to rent
-- buying a Facebook ad for those areas
A large condo could work, except we have a large dog ...
What are we missing??
I don't know NH well at all, but a Craigslist search of that area turns up several houses for rent. What's wrong with the ones you are finding?
posted by jon1270 at 5:41 AM on August 3, 2013
posted by jon1270 at 5:41 AM on August 3, 2013
Well, I was going to suggest realtor, but I see you've done that.
I don't know anything about New Hampshire, but if there's a military base near enough, there's sure to be an informal market of houses that never get listed. There are postings on base and the rumor mill. You have to know someone though.
posted by Measured Out my Life in Coffeespoons at 6:14 AM on August 3, 2013
I don't know anything about New Hampshire, but if there's a military base near enough, there's sure to be an informal market of houses that never get listed. There are postings on base and the rumor mill. You have to know someone though.
posted by Measured Out my Life in Coffeespoons at 6:14 AM on August 3, 2013
Our neighborhood Facebook page is pretty active and lists rentals all the time. Maybe see if there are pages for the neighborhoods you like?
posted by dawkins_7 at 6:37 AM on August 3, 2013
posted by dawkins_7 at 6:37 AM on August 3, 2013
Are you using the right search terms on Craigslist? By excluding terms like apartment, you might have better luck. Search tips. Also, when you search, don't check the dogs checkbox -- some posts don't specify, and they might be worth pursuing.
posted by mochapickle at 6:38 AM on August 3, 2013
posted by mochapickle at 6:38 AM on August 3, 2013
Phillips Academy might have some outskirts stuff on their housing boards near your area, if they have that sort of thing. I think I might talk to the librarian there (unless you are the librarian there) and see if there are options. Might also want to call some other realtors, there might be forever-for-sale properties in that area that someone would be happy to rent out while they wait for the housing market to improve. In my (VT) small town these places often wind up in the newspapers, on flyers in the local coffee shops and colleges, and just going via word of mouth or "for rent" signs in the windows. Seems like you've been diligent but this may be a situation where you have to wait for summer housing stuff to calm down and then places will become more available.
posted by jessamyn at 6:49 AM on August 3, 2013
posted by jessamyn at 6:49 AM on August 3, 2013
In many places with little single family rental stock, the market niche is filled by homes for rent in mobile home parks. Pets are usually allowed and the size might be right for you (lots of two bedroom units). Obviously you are going to need to do a very careful diligence if you want to explore this -- including visiting nights and weekends -- but there are many mobile home parks that are nice and filled with nice people.
By the way, the reason you may not be finding anything is that, very high rent districts aside, it is impossible to make money renting out a single family home unless there's lots of single family homes for rent in a relatively small area. That critical mass supports affordable management companies and the economy of scale they get from volume discounts with handymen, plumbers, painters, landscapers, etc. Without that you are better off leaving the house vacant.
posted by MattD at 7:22 AM on August 3, 2013
By the way, the reason you may not be finding anything is that, very high rent districts aside, it is impossible to make money renting out a single family home unless there's lots of single family homes for rent in a relatively small area. That critical mass supports affordable management companies and the economy of scale they get from volume discounts with handymen, plumbers, painters, landscapers, etc. Without that you are better off leaving the house vacant.
posted by MattD at 7:22 AM on August 3, 2013
Are you religious? If so, talk to the folks at the churches affiliated with your denomination. They'll know about under-the-radar opportunities stemming from divorce, death, remarriage, etc. Possible caution: you may feel obliged to join the congregation.
posted by carmicha at 7:25 AM on August 3, 2013
posted by carmicha at 7:25 AM on August 3, 2013
Response by poster: There are homes listed on CraigsList. I should have specified, though, that we're looking for somewhat higher-end homes, which typically rent for around $2k+ per month.
It's a large area & we don't have the time for driving around unfortunately.
Will explore our Facebook options.
The church option is an interesting one!
Many thanks to all for the suggestions so far.
posted by woodman at 7:38 AM on August 3, 2013
It's a large area & we don't have the time for driving around unfortunately.
Will explore our Facebook options.
The church option is an interesting one!
Many thanks to all for the suggestions so far.
posted by woodman at 7:38 AM on August 3, 2013
Best answer: Have a realtor do the looking for you. Don't just search sites, email the realtor, explain what you're looking for, and let them review their portfolio for you. Realtors often know about rental options that are not listed on their websites.
At worst you might pay them a finder's fee of a few hundred bucks, but sometimes they have an agreement with the owner to pay those fees. I did this when moving to a new town an hour south of you, for the first time, and found it amazingly productive. Web listings are often not the first resort of people outside urban areas, and there was so much that I would not have seen had I not had realtors looking for me.
Contact a lot of realtors, 5-10 of them. Keep track of what they are offering - many are listing the same properties.
posted by Miko at 8:14 AM on August 3, 2013
At worst you might pay them a finder's fee of a few hundred bucks, but sometimes they have an agreement with the owner to pay those fees. I did this when moving to a new town an hour south of you, for the first time, and found it amazingly productive. Web listings are often not the first resort of people outside urban areas, and there was so much that I would not have seen had I not had realtors looking for me.
Contact a lot of realtors, 5-10 of them. Keep track of what they are offering - many are listing the same properties.
posted by Miko at 8:14 AM on August 3, 2013
Have you tried calling property managers in the area?
posted by juliapangolin at 9:55 AM on August 3, 2013
posted by juliapangolin at 9:55 AM on August 3, 2013
When we were looking for similar rental homes to the type you specified, we ended up actually driving through the neighborhoods and looking for "For Rent" signs. Most of the available rentals around here were not listed online or in the newspaper.
posted by Oriole Adams at 1:39 AM on August 4, 2013
posted by Oriole Adams at 1:39 AM on August 4, 2013
Response by poster: In the end, a realtor found whatever was available -- which wasn't much. A CraigsList alert, however, found a few possibilities over the following weeks.
posted by woodman at 11:47 AM on October 14, 2013
posted by woodman at 11:47 AM on October 14, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
Have you gotten in your car and driven around the area looking for "For Rent" signs?
posted by Rob Rockets at 5:26 AM on August 3, 2013