Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with rentals

Ruidoso gear rental

crookedgrin — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 12:44:18 -0800

Best places to rent ski/snowboarding equipment in Ruidoso? My GF and I are going skiing/snowboarding at Ski Apache in a couple days. Any recommendations on where to rent gear? We need boots, skiis, poles, and a snowboard.

Help me relax, hivemind!

sickinthehead — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:46:40 -0800

I am in Chapel Hill, NC and want to rent a house/cabin somewhere this weekend? Where should I go? I don't want more than a 3 hour drive if possible, and I haven't been to either the mountains or the beach in the year that I've lived here. While the mountains may be beautiful at this time of year, I think the beach on a warm sunny fall weekend also sounds like a nice idea.

The problems:

- I don't know what towns I should be looking in.

- I want to bring my dog.

- I don't know where to look for rentals. I poked around on craigslist, but I want to know if there is some other site that is good for this.

- I want to spend about 125/night.

So Metafilter, where should I go this weekend?

What are the rules on apartment subletting in New York?

btkuhn — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 07:45:17 -0800

What are the rules on apartment subletting in New York? Hi,

I live in Manhattan and work in finance. I'm recently out of college and am subletting a place. As is the case with most people my age, I can't afford a place of my own in Manhattan. I've had several friends (though none at the moment) who lived in a "loft share" - basically a huge loft with 5 or 6 bedrooms, shared among 5 or 6 people. I'm not sure how the lease worked - if they each signed individual leases with the landlord, or if the lease was in one of their names, or what.

This got me thinking. I remember when I first moved to the city and was looking for a place to stay for a few months while I got settled and could find a place to sign a lease. It was a huge pain in the ass because I lived in North Carolina, and my choices were either to pay exorbitant fees for a short-term rental or find a short-term sublet on craigslist, which was taking a big chance because I had no idea if the sublets on craigslist were legit, and I also didn't know what a reasonable price was. Anyways, I am sure there would be significant demand if someone rented out short-term (3-6 months) rooms in Manhattan, where people new to the city could rent while moving to the city and getting settled. I ended up paying $1500/month when I moved to the city, so I think $1200-1500 a month for a room in a loft or a large apartment wouldn't be unreasonable.

So my question is, is it legal to sign a lease for a loft rental, and then sublet individual rooms? Or do you need special permission for this (and if so, can the permission be got, or is it not allowed, period)? If the answer is no, how do you do this then...must you be the owner of the apartment?

Thanks

How hard can it be to rent out a no fee ferchristsake

cestmoi15 — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 16:35:40 -0800

Where do you search for an apt in NYC? I'm looking to rent out my apt in NYC by owner, no fee. I've signed up with Craigslist, but have been out of the market for so long I no longer know where else people check. So, where is it the kids are rental hunting these days?

Short-term apartment rental near Belmont, MA (McLean Hospital)?

Anonymous — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:02:11 -0800

I'm going to be in a "partial hospitalizaton" program at Harvard's McLean Hospital in Belmont, Mass. I need to find a place to stay for 10-14 nights, preferably a short-term apartment rental. Any ideas for finding vacation apartment-style arrangements within walking or train distance? In this type of program, I will be at the hospital every day from early in the morning to the mid-afternoon for about 10 business days. It's located in Belmont (specifics and directions below -- I need to be able to take the commuter rail to the Belmont stop or the Red Line to the #73 bus).

Since it's a non-inpatient program, I won't spend the night at the hospital, so I need to find an apartment for about two weeks in the beginning of August.

The hospital's website has hotel recommendations, but I don't have much money and thought renting an apartment would be a more economical way to arrange accommodations.

I don't know Boston well, I don't have contacts there, and Craigslist doesn't seem to have anything that's a reasonable commute distance from the hospital for such a brief period of time. I thought this was something the hospital could help me with, but aside from the list of hotels they didn't really have any advice.

I am very grateful for any suggestions you might have for finding a place.

Map of McLean here: http://maps.google.de/maps?q=belmont+ma&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&split=0&gl=de&ei=al5SSofIB4fKnAOrubiEBA&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=image&resnum=1

Directions and public transit info here:
http://www.mclean.harvard.edu/about/directions/

Crunch time: planning time off to apartment hunt in DC or Boston.

fructose — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 14:42:32 -0800

Best time to visit to find a place to live for August in a) Boston or b) Washington, D.C. metro area/suburbs. I'm in the midst of hearing back from law schools for Fall '09, and I'm leaning toward schools in D.C. and Boston. I won't be deciding for sure until April, but I have to ask of time from my job right now to have a good chance of getting it off.
My window is May - July to visit to find and hopefully sign the lease to move in August into a place in:
a) Boston or most likely suburbs
b) D.C. or most likely suburbs in VA or MD.

I'm from Austin, TX, and even here in order to live remotely close to the center of town, you usually have to start looking months in advance because it's a competitive market (huge student pop.). I imagine it's MUCH harder to find a place in the Boston and D.C. areas.
I've found most of my rentals online in Austin, through Craigslist and MLS listing sites, but I know not every city is like that. I'll be looking for affordable 1 bedrooms for my boyfriend and I to share that are close to trains or buses. Being from Texas, our current finances aren't on par with the cost of living in the Northeastern cities. This is why we are thinking suburbs and commuting via public transit.

So, I guess my main questions are, for those who are familiar with D.C. or Boston areas:

1) How early should I start looking for a place in either city?
2) Is the internet used much to find listings in D.C and/or Boston?
3) If the internet is not the best way to find rentals, how early would I need to physically go out there to find a place?

I just realized that I have to ask for the time off by tomorrow afternoon, so I really appreciate all your advice.

Thanks, all you current/former Washingtonians and Bostonians!

Advice for timing a move and getting a "deal" in a tough rental market?

limonade — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 12:56:41 -0800

Advice for timing a move and getting a great deal in a tough rental market? I live in Boston, which has a notoriously tight rental market. This is complicated by that fact that, unlike in other cities, here virtually all leases renew their leases for the same date: Sept. 1. Landlords want to have a signed lease as early as possible. This means that if you are not sure you want to renew your lease you risk having your current apartment rented out from under you before you fully get to compare your options.

My currently apartment is okay, but I'm not crazy about the location or the price. My landlord wants to raise the rent by $75 even though the rental prices have supposedly dropped a bit--even in Boston! This makes me think about moving, but it's more a matter of principle that he shouldn't raise the rent because he doesn't maintain the place all that well. If I could find a significantly better or cheaper place, it might be worth willing to move...but I won't be able to look for a place until other people have already started looking at my apartment. However, if it's not a significant improvement it won't be worth it, since moving would not only be an enormous hassle, I would probably have to pay a Realtor's fee--usually 1/2 month's rent--effectively canceling out the small rent increase.

I'd love to find something by owner, and thus without the fee, but I've had a very hard time finding one in the past, and I do have a cat, which limits some of my options (all "no pet" apartments are out). I also have a lot of stuff, so that further limits my options to apartments with big bedrooms (not common in the city in my price range). I would consider moving in with established roommates when my lease is up, but how far in advance people would know they would have one room in a larger apartment available? It's hard to time everything for a fixed date (Sept. 1).

I always hear about the "friend of a friend" who had a huge place and whose landlord didn't raise the rent for 7 years, yet every landlord I've had has raised the rent every single year!

I guess what I'm looking for is advice about:

1. Weighing the potential benefits of moving against the potential and actual costs--and hassle
2. Ideas for how I can get a great deal under these conditions, in an expensive city where everyone is looking for a place at the same time
3. Options I might have overlooked
4. Timing my search

FYI, I might consider buying in a few years but it's not really an option right now, and also doesn't feel like a great time since I'm not sure I'm completely immune from possibly being laid off if the economy tanks further. Also, if I'm going to plant roots I'm not sure I want to place them here.

real estate agent recommendations for toronto renters

machine — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 06:49:56 -0800

Due to impending parenthood on the part of my roommates we're moving. Because we're still looking for a rental - and it's slightly complicated - a real estate agent would be helpful. Does anyone have any good recommendations for Toronto? We currently live in a house - 3 bedrooms - but with the advent of a baby we're looking for something like two apartments in a house where they could have their own space and I could have my own space.

This would be the best case scenario so we thought we'd start there.

We're looking Bloor to St. Clair/Spadina to Dufferin basically.

What's the least amount of coverage I need to drive a rental car legally?

nikkorizz — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 13:08:10 -0800

What's the least amount of insurance coverage I need to drive a rental car legally? Presently, I have no auto insurance and would like to rent a car without getting suckered into paying for coverage that I don't need simple because the sales agent recommends it. Cheap and legal are the keywords here. I have no insurance. Furthermore, I'm under 25(but over 21). I don't have a car and I don't have auto insurance. I live in the U.S., particularly in the western Pennsylvania area, but I will be driving to Ohio during this rental car trip.

With a quick call to Hertz, and some other car rental companies, I have determined that I can drive a rental without personal auto insurance as long as I purchase *their*coverage.

But exactly how much insurance do I need? I'm pretty sure that rental companies will sell me every type of coverage they can, but all that can't be necessary to keep me legal, can it?

On the renter's website I see options for Damage Waiver, Personal Accident Insurance / Personal Effects Coverage, Supplemental Liability Protection. After some research on 3rd party sites, it seems like Liability Protection is all I need. Is that right?

As a side note, I heard over the grapevine that credit cards also offer some coverage. Should I also consider this?

Where can I rent an XBox 360 in New York City?

miniminimarket — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 12:24:00 -0800

Where can I rent an XBox 360 in New York City? Does anyone know where I could rent a video game console (esp an Xbox 360) in New York City? I have my little brother coming to visit, and I'll need one for two weeks.

Do I want a timeshare?

InstantSanitizer — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 10:20:31 -0800

I'm curious about vacation timeshares. What has your experience been? Do you have any recommendations? What are the drawbacks? Where are the best packages?

Illegal Eviction Notice in Los Angeles

chez shoes — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 18:11:48 -0800

Have you dealt with an illegal eviction notice in Los Angeles? Got home from work today to find a typed letter from my landlady asking me to move by 4/15. Long story short - she's facing foreclosure; I live in a tiny single in a 3-unit triplex; she wants to move into my single and rent out the 2+2 unit that she currently lives in for more $$$.

I'm aware of the laws governing this under the RSO, and I'm aware she did not approach this legally and have already filed a complaint with the agency.

As far as I know, she has no legal right to take any action against me until she actually files the Declaration of Intent to Evict - can anybody confirm this? Additionally, I'd like to hear from anybody else who has gone through this - any tips, support, etc. you have to offer.

I know you're not my lawyer. I'll get one if I have to, but right now I'm trying to rely on Nolo Press and my library science degree to get me through this.

Websites and companies that offer cheap weekly vacation rentals in LA area

dannon205 — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 19:51:10 -0800

What are some good sites or companies to find cheap LA weekly vacation rentals? I'm looking to vacation in the LA area in April for 9 days and 8 nights. I'd be much more comfortable in an apt or small house than I would be in a hotel room. I first started looking at hotels, but even the cheapest hotels in decent neighborhoods come out to about $750. I'd like to pay about $500 (w/ all cleaning fees etc included) for a rental. I don't mind paying a refundable deposit.

I've been looking at craigslist, but about 95% of the rentals are for mansions, mini-mansions, and penthouses in the swankiest parts of town. Are there any good websites or companies that anyone knows of that might have some rentals in my price range that are in decent neighborhoods, but not a bel air mansion? Also, do you guys know of any companies that are willing to negotiate the price?

Is there anything we can do to help prevent or minimize flooding in a finished basement?

designmartini — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 12:07:20 -0800

Is there anything we can do to help prevent or minimize flooding in a finished basement? My boyfriend and I have just signed a lease to rent a townhouse with a large basement in NYC (which in itself is an anomaly, but that's another discussion). We'd like to use the basement as an extra bedroom for guests and as a place for my boyfriend's "office", but we're concerned about potential water damage from flooding.

The basement itself is finished, but with linoleum floors unlike the hard-wood floors in the rest of the house. We saw the place before it was cleaned, and it is clear that there is some water damage to the tiling, although it doesn't look like the water was very high. Also, there is evidence that the previous tenants didn't take very good care of the basement, so it's hard to tell what was the result of unavoidable flooding and what was just their lack of care.

Other details that might be relevant: the basement has 4 windows, and a door that leads to an outside "shed" with a small drainage hole in the center. It houses the electrical/ hot water/ boiler for the building, and also has a connection to the NYC sewage pipes (that's something I'm hoping we don't have to mess with). There's a washer/dryer and bathroom in the basement, so it's clear that the basement is functional at least some of the time.

I've read several threads on MeFi about clearing out water from an already flooded basement, but I'd like tips about preventing it or minimizing the damage. We understand that some water might be unavoidable, but we'd like to keep the space functional. Our landlord isn't going to provide much in the way of service for this problem, if it occurs, so it's pretty much up to us.

Suggestions? Experience? Thanks!

Should I give Westside Rentals my hard-earned money or not?

MiaWallace — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 15:54:26 -0800

Angelenos: Westside Rentals- worth it or not? I'm moving to LA in December, and I'm hearing many conflicting reports about whether or not it's worth it to pony up the bucks for a membership.

So what say you, hive mind? Is it a scam, or an indispensable apartment hunting tool? What have your experiences been with the company?

How do I break a California rental lease that hasn't started yet?

avagoyle — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 22:08:32 -0800

How do I break a California rental lease that hasn't started yet? Can an apartment refuse to remove one person from a lease two people signed if both roommates wish the removal? Hi. I am moving from Southern California to Davis. My current roommate originally planned to move up with me and we signed a lease together for an apartment on June 11th and paid a deposit. The lease on the new apartment doesn't begin until Sept 1st which is also the first day we can move in.

Last week my roommate informed me she had been given a better job offer and can no longer move up with me. We had an agreement where I was to pay less of the rent in exchange for cooking so I can't just lease out her room without taking out loans. I need to move to a different apartment. She agreed that she has a responsibility for her choice and will remove me if the lease if that is our only option but we both prefer to just terminate the lease.

However, the rental company refuses to take me off the lease. As far as termination goes, they say that we will have to pay all the months that they don't find a tenant which could last the whole length of the lease which is a year.

I've been trying to find information on breaking a lease before you move in but I can only find information on breaking a lease after you have lived there. Furthermore, the people I've known a copy of my lease have had different interpretations of what it says.

Under Breach Prior to Lease Commencement: owner may
1. terminate this lease and hold all of the residents liable for actual damaged caused by the breach. In any event said damages shall not exceed an amount greater than the sum of 2 month's rent.
2. not terminate this lease and hold remaining residents jointly and separately liable for all the terms of this lease
3. not terminate this lease and hold those residents not giving said notice liable for the rent stated herein reduced proportionally by an amount equal to the defaulting residents share of the rent remaining to be paid

To me, that says that they can force us to pay the whole amount if they wish. I looked into getting a lawyer but I'm low income and the ones I've found so far are highly priced. I'd prefer to try to find what the actual law on this is before spending money on one. Any help you can give me is greatly appreciated.

Thank you

How can I find housing in a city I've barely visited?

moooshy — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 17:20:22 -0800

[Chicago Filter] Moving to Chicago in June. Start work 2 days later. No time to go to Chicago before the move. What's the best way to find an apt? (Everyone on CL wants to meet me first, which isn't possible.) I just found out that I have to move to Chicago for a full time job. The job starts approximately 2 days after I move there, and there's no way I can get to Chicago before June to scope the joint, so to speak.

I know nothing about Chicago, aside from what I've read online -- and I've posted/read Craigslist ads, but everyone wants to meet me first, understandably. I'd like to meet them first, too -- but I can't. This makes securing housing somewhat difficult, and I can't afford a hotel.

Ideally, I'd sublet for the summer before making an attempt to get a longterm lease in the fall -- but if I could find something longterm and decent now, I'd be a happy camper.

I have never moved across the country, nor have my parents -- so we're kind of in the dark about this. I was wondering if anyone had suggestions for such a move, and what might be the best way to proceed (My employer is small, and all of the employees live in the suburbs, so they're not going to know...)

2 dogs + 2 cats = rental nightmare?

desjardins — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 07:53:54 -0800

My boyfriend and I are moving to suburban Chicago with our 2 dogs and 2 cats. How best to find a home to rent that will be pet friendly? When we first moved in together (in Milwaukee), we had a devil of a time finding a place that would take his two dogs. They are german shepherd/chow/??? mixes, 45-50 lbs apiece. Most places I called, even though they had "dogs OK" in their ads, just said "no" when I described the dogs. I guess they were expecting Chihuahuas.

They're extremely friendly and well-trained, to the point that they obey a 2-year old nephew who can pronounce "sit" and "down." They don't bark except when they're outside and another dog passes by. Even then, it's a "Hey, can I sniff your butt?" kind of bark, and they know the command "SHUT UP!"

Currently we live in a duplex near a university, and I guess the landlord felt that two 30somethings + two dogs + 1 cat (the kitten came later) was a better bet than a gaggle of undergrads. Even so, he was still pretty reluctant until he actually met the dogs. When we move to Chicago, we'd prefer to rent a single-family house, but I'd prefer not to go through the dozens of phone calls that end as soon as I give the dogs' breed and weight. Is there an easier way?

(Postscript: The cats have actually been far more destructive to our current residence, and we know we're going to have to replace a few things. If we list our current landlord as a reference, do you think he'd disclose this?)

Hapless painter wants to take a stab at video art. Cheaply.

wreckingball — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 19:53:34 -0800

Video camera rental advice: I'm looking to make an exceedingly simple, short video (an art project, if you will) and I'm looking to rent a fairly high quality camera to do it with. The condition is that I need a camera that can function reasonably (I'm not expecting miracles, here, but I don't want horribly washed-out, grainy business) in a very low-light situation. I'm applying for a small grant to do this, and I can't afford more than maybe $200 for a day's rental, $250 tops. Specifically, what I'm doing is this: I've built a room-sized camera obscura of the type that were all the rage on the internet some time ago (mine is actually somewhat different in that it projects onto a screen, rather than a wall--picture here), and I would like to film it in action.

What I'm looking to achieve is not more than five minutes of video: static shots, one wide shot of the whole bedroom setup, one closeup to focus on the movement of trees and whatnot outside. I want to pair that with an audio track of ambient sounds recorded just outside. The problem: even on a bright day, the room is quite, quite dim, and I can't add any artificial light without weakening the camera obscura image.

My understanding is that I need a camera with a multi-chip sensor (is that even the right term? I'm a complete video novice), but I don't know if such things are routinely rented out to nonprofessionals, and I'd really rather not have to deal with hiring someone to shoot the footage for me (in large part because I don't think I could afford it, but also I'd like to maintain control, even if I don't know what I'm doing, and I don't much like the thought of bringing strangers into my house). most of the "rental sites" i've found online are just glorified link farms, and in the rare instance they list actual cameras for rent, they're little handheld disappointments.

Any insight onto the rental process in general would be great: where do i go? (am i looking for best buy or some broadcast equipment dealer?) what will it cost? what constitute standard rental procedures? and if anyone happens to know a place in the Tampa Bay area for me to ask at, that would be fantastic (I can of course call around to phone book listings, but I need at least to have a clearer idea of what to ask for).

Requirements for the camera are: good low-light performance; usb, usb2, or firewire output to my computer; decent sound recording (i'd rather not have to deal with renting a miniDAT and microphones and whatnot, though I at least have some experience doing that), and a daily rental cost capping out at no more than $250. If I buy the right persons enough beer, I might be able to score access to the campus video lab, but it would be best if I could get this done on my home setup.

Is this even possible? I know I'm a bit out of my depth, but that's sort of what makes it fun.

Sleepless in Squaw Valley

lannanh — Sun, 11 Feb 2007 23:39:34 -0800

Recommendations for Lodging for Large Groups (20+) in Squaw Anyone have any recommendations for rentals for large groups in Squaw during Snowfest, March 1st-5th? Basically large houses close or connected to one another would be ideal. Cost isn't the number one factor as we would like a nicely appointed accommodations, location is. Ideally the house would be in Squaw Valley, we don't want people driving.

Thanks in advance.

Is it fair for landlords to put up politcal signs in your yard?

wfrgms — Mon, 06 Nov 2006 22:10:55 -0800

Is it ethical for a property management company to put political signs in front of their rental properties without permission from the tenets who live there? Over the weekend my landlords (a Chicago based property group who owns several multi-tenant buildings around town) placed about five or six political signs (all for the same candidate) in front of our building.

The building is in the Gold Coast and home to dozens of individuals and families. It is a rental (non-condo, non-owner) building.

I feel it's unfair that the property owners are using "my" (using that term loosely obviously) home and front yard to advance their politics. I pay (a lot!) to live here, not endorse their candidate! (And no, it's not the candidate I have a problem with, it's the principle.)

Is there anything I can do other than calling them up to complain? I would take the signs down myself, but I'm afraid of repercussions if I'm caught. I'd love to learn that this is some how codified in Chicago tenant law, but so far my searches have turned up nil.

Where can I rent a big cabin on the CT side of the Long Island Sound?

paul_smatatoes — Mon, 11 Sep 2006 20:50:47 -0800

Where can I rent a house (for a weekend) that sleeps between 15 and 20 (relatively) near Groton, CT? I know there's plenty that comes up depending on what I search for, but I'm looking for a personal recommendation- some place someone you know has stayed, or a place you've heard is really pretty and well-appointed. The idea here is getting a couple of people together to fish, eat the fish, and fish some more. A lot of us wouldn't mind sleeping on the floors, but the less we have to, the better. So...any ideas? It doesn't have to be super-close to Groton, just close to the shore, and it'd be absolutely perfect if it was the kind of place where you could have a nice campfire. I'm not that familiar with the CT side of the sound, but I'm imagining something like an Adirondak Great Lodge, only slightly more New England-y.

Tips, advice, etc., welcome. Cost isn't not an object, but I'd rather see what's available at a particular price before I rule anything out.

Where's a good place to find self-catering family accommodation in Paris?

athenian — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 14:37:01 -0800

Me, wife, kids, sister and Mum want to spend the October half-term week (the last full week of October) in Paris. Hotels don't work well with tinies, so we're looking for a self-catering apartment. Where would MeFites recommend, or recommend looking? Not fussed about location (within reason), but we like the 5e and 6e. We aren't on our upppers, but price is a factor (we only live in Brighton so this is more bonus extra holiday than Trip of a Lifetime). Happy to use a company, or arrange something privately - even a house swap if people fancy a week in Britain's shingle capital.

Where would you look to find a vacation rental villa in spain?

mitocan — Wed, 05 Jul 2006 03:59:31 -0800

Where would you look to find a vacation rental villa in spain? I have built some nice villas in spain at the seaside and now I want to rent them on a weekly basis using the internet. There are thousands of sites that allow me to set up a profile if I pay them. Which ones do you use to search?
(it's Las Casas Buendìa in case you wanted to know)

Help me be rich!

eas98 — Wed, 10 May 2006 11:32:13 -0800

Any rental property owners with experience using a property management service? I would like to buy properties (specifically duplexes, triplexes, etc) in a city that I do not live in and have them managed by an operation in said city. I have absolutely zero experience with this, and was wondering if anybody had any tips, tricks, advice, etc. on this process.

What should I be looking out for? What are important considerations? What are typical rates and roles for these property managers?

Many thanks for any replies.