Help Finding an Apartment in Boston

Feeling overwhelmed by your apartment search? You’re not alone! Navigating the real estate market of any city can be daunting and Boston has its own challenges.

Here are a few FAQs that should make the process a bit easier:

What is a no fee apartment?
A no-fee apartment means that the fee is being paid by someone other than you, namely the landlord. It can also mean that the person showing you the apartment is the owner or his/her employee and will not be compensated for renting you the apartment.

Apartment Caution SearchBEWARE: if the landlord is paying the fee, they may have simply amortized the fee into the monthly rent, meaning that you’ll actually be paying the fee monthly – and you’ll be paying it again if you stay for another year. Sometimes it’s cheaper in the long run to pay the fee up front or to shop for a fee apartment and then negotiate with the landlord. Then you can be sure that the fee is not hidden in the monthly rent.

What is a guarantor and why does my landlord want me to have one?
A guarantor or cosigner is a person who will agree to take on the financial responsibility of the rent if you do not pay. They usually have to make at least 4x the monthly rent and have great credit. In Massachusetts, each cosigner takes on the full responsibility of the lease even when there are multiple cosigners. So you rent an apartment with 3 friends and all four moms cosign, then one friend moves back home, leaving you and your other roommate unable to make the full rental payment. Your Mom, along with the other 3 cosigners, will be asked to pay the rent and her credit will be adversely affected if the rent is not brought current – even though you have continued to pay your portion. Each cosigner is jointly and severally responsible for the lease. The landlord will request a credit report for each cosigner.

A saw an ad for a 1/2 split – what does that mean?
A split is an apartment where the living room has a door, allowing it to be used as a bedroom if you can deal with not having a living room. This can be a real cost savings. A 1/2 split, for example, is a one-bedroom apartment with a door on the living room so you can use it as a two-bed. 1/2 splits usually rent for just slightly more than a one-bedroom apartment so you can share the cost of rent with someone without sharing your bedroom.

The real estate agent told me that I need a deleaded apartment because my daughter is 3 years old. What does that mean?

Most property built before 1978 contains lead paint. Children under 6 years of age are not legally able to live in a rented apartment that contains lead paint. Even if the parent and the landlord agree that they don’t mind the child living in a leaded apartment, it’s still illegal and can cause lots of trouble for both parties.

The good news is, landlords are legally obligated to “delead” the apartment, making it safe for children under 6.

The bad news is, it’s time-consuming and expensive. It can take a month or more to delead an apartment and can cost upwards of $10k. The landlord doesn’t have to pay for your housing while the work is being done so you have to make sure that your moving date is somewhat flexible.
Also because of the cost, landlords are kind of looking for any excuse to avoid doing the work so if your credit is not great or you have a bad landlord reference, it’s best to look for an apartment that is already deleaded. Because these are the more modern apartments, they tend to be a bit more pricey.

Deleading is required even when the children do not live in the home all the time, like in a parental custody situation.

Would you like answers to your questions? The rental experts at Phoenix Realty are here to help!

Give us a call or email us and we’ll help you navigate Boston’s choppy waters.

Use our apartment rental search to find your perfect apartment.

Phoenix Realty Boston Apartment Search

Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009 Apartment Rentals, Boston, Boston Apartments, Boston Apartments for Rent, Boston First-Time Home Buyers, Boston Real Estate, Boston Rental Property, Renter's Guide

TAGS: , , ,

No comments yet.

Leave a comment

Sales Search

Rental Search

Search