Serious question, and kind of boring about signing a lease

OP, here’s what I would do.

First, reread the lease or contract and see if there is an escape clause. Sometimes, you get three days to back out without penalty. But good luck getting your money back. Also, I have a rule of thumb - “never sign a contract under pressure”. Not the kind of pressure you are under. I believe that there [bold] must [/bold] be other places. It’s just a question of whether you have the time to search for them.

Second, you maybe could be sued if the landlord couldn’t re-rent the place. When I was young and poor, I never saw it, landlords wouldn’t bother, but when you are older with money, people get litigious. I wouldn’t risk it.

Third, it’s not ethical to sign with the thought of backing out - however, I had a couple of landlords who wouldn’t dream of keeping their word. It’s a doggie-dog world and nobody is looking out for you, except you.

So don’t sign the damn thing, and keep looking.

If you are ready to sign the lease on the house now, why is the homeowner showing it to other people? And if the market is so tight, what's the condo owner's rush about? I would keep looking.

A lease is a legal contract, OP, and almost all leases contain an early termination penalty. You need to read the lease and understand what that penalty is and then decide if you're willing to pay it. The landlord could opt to let you out of the lease but I certainly wouldn't count on that.

I had a roommate who fell behind on the rent (drugs). I asked the landlord to tell me if it ever happened again, so I could put pressure on the roommate to pay. The landlord and I had a number of conversations, and I got the roommate to catch-up. He later fell behind again, and abruptly moved out. I was pissed that the landlord never told me anything.

I told the landlord that I’d pay the roommate’s share, a few month’s worth, if he let me move up to a better, newly refurbished apartment when the lease expired. He agreed to that. (Why not, it cost him nothing?) After he got my check for all the past due money, he changed his mind, and said I could stay, but only in my current apartment. I don’t know why.

It was an out of state check which meant, in those days, it took longer to process. It was weeks, I think, but I called my bank and stopped payment on it. I never did anything like that before. I think it’s the only stop-payment I’ve ever done, excepting lost checks. It worked! Why? Because he broke our deal, after he was paid, that manipulative cunt.

He never sued or anything, though of course I moved out at the end of the lease, a few months later.

R2- She was very clear that she is basically evicting the current homeowners as they stopped paying rent after living there for only 3 months. She is clearly not messing around...

I am usually considered the best candidate ever, so she must have not felt that way..

I am so tempted to reach out and plead my case, but she was very much a no drama type and I think it will backfire

No, OP, in a tight market, she’s going to interview others to get a feel for the market, then pick the best choice. It is probably not a reflection on you at all. If you are squeaky clean, you will look great compared to the others, and she’ll pick you.

I have long heard never to rent to law school students. There was one other group. I can’t recall right now.

R6, the other group was DataLoungers.

It might have been med students. Could that be?

Doggie-dog???? Oh dear.

Landlords are particularly bad because:

The are jaded from dealing with so many assholes.

No one is looking and can’t see what slimbags they are, so “shame” doesn’t influence their behavior.

Courts and law is on their side by default. I think places like San Francisco, California are different, but New England seems to favor the tenant.

Prior to recently, there was no rating system on landlords. Reputation scores, mostly, didn’t exist. It’s nice that they do exist, today.

I'm in New England R10.

Its a shit show trying to find a place here.

[quote] It’s a doggie-dog world

Not to disparage your good advice r1, but um....what

It’s a dog-eat-dog world here on Datalounge.

Well I think I will follow the advice here. And do the right thing.

I am going to decline the "offer" for this condo and hope that I win the home rental .

The only good sign is that they did not re-list the rental since it went on a week ago-

And I am actually the only one who they showed it to so far (This is what I was told, and I actually believe it)

So clearly I have a chance or they definitely would have relisted it (Craigslist) Due to the current non paying tenants she says she can only show on weekend. So I will know something by Sunday or Monday...

I may have to put my belongings in storage and live with some friends for awhile otherwise.

Life is so short, and I don't want to settle anymore. I don't know-

Thanks for the always sage advice!!!

I would check to see what the eviction laws are in your state OP. Eviction is not as easy as some people think and can take weeks or months.

10 years ago, I signed a lease and moved in to a house that had a basement apartment rented out. Within a month, the basement flooded and the landlord tried to blame me for it. Luckily enough, we dealt with the same insurance agency, and he was caught trying to commit insurance fraud. He had tree roots growing into the plumbing, and the insurance agency was well aware of it. Once you sign a lease, you’re bound, unless you can prove fraud.

Dream tenant.

There is no cooling off period unless specifically stated in the contract. There is probably an early termination fee or clause. So you could lose your security deposit AND be sued for the rental amount. If the landlord is pushing you to sign, and you don't get a good vibe from them then I would pass and wait on the house.

I understand in Massachusetts, [italic] if [/italic] you sign the contract in your own home, I think state law allows you three days to cancel, penalty free. Something like that. It’s apparently to deal with high pressure door-to-door salesman.

I once wanted to rent a cottage in Ptown for the Summer. I read the contract. When I later went to sign it the next day, the landlord had changed it, significantly. Can you imagine that? I only found out much later when I read what I signed that it had been altered.

r19 always read it the day you sign it. This is true of any contract. Read and understand everything and if there is something that is not clear ask them to clarify.

Well, I passed on the condo and I am now in prayer mode until Saturday/Sunday until I hear on the house.

The only thing good is that they never updated the Craigslist ad, so couldn't have appeared that bad, they meet two parties on Saturday, and they will make decision.

(And she could have lied and said she went with someone else)

We shall see.

Thanks for your always sage advice here.

Good luck, OP! You sound like a good egg.

OP, just set a limit. Don't get too desperate and decide to keep sticking around and accommodating her if she doesn't give you a decision after this weekend. If she comes back with, "we need a few more days," or "we have to do this first so..."

Take that as a sign and leave. You don't want someone using you as a placeholder while they go and see if they can find tenants who will pay more than you will or who are more to their liking.

Offer the extra 100 per month for the house. I am a landlord and this happens all the time. I also get offered 6 months or 1 year of payments up front. Perfectly legal. I've accepted these offers. If you have the cash, it is an incentive. It shows financial stability.

If you want to find a good place. The secret is to go into a Realty office in the area you want to live. All the gems are on the MLS which the public can't access; only realtors. The fees are paid by the landlord via commission so I doesn't cost you anything. I pay a property manager who I paid 1500 for finding me a great candidate. I don't list on craigslist. too many bizarre experiences in the past with craigslist.

R23 is right. Meanwhile, keep looking. This is not an apartment, it’s where your life will be.

Don't listen to R24 OP. Never pay months in advance. You can usually get out of a lease, but if you have paid all that money upfront you are going to lose it. No reputable company will accept months in advance payment.

Too funny R24, I was going to offer both of those things!

I was going to offer another 50.00. month (lol) or 3 months up front + the security

R26- Its not a company, just a homeowner who owns 3 properties on same street..

I thought maybe she was homophobic, it does make your mind wonder when you "aren't good enough"...

Doesn't make any difference if it is an individual or company R27. No one that is reputable would accept months of prepayment.