I'd be hitting the road running.......from that place.

**** LOL green acres had nothing on that house. I was thinking MAYBE, maybe $200 at the most. but when she said $1050 just to move in, and $300 a month after that. I might as well go find a house to buy, but with my credit ....oh well, one of these days.

or, even funnier, get her fired (if she'* not self employed) for discriminating against potential customers like she did. (possibly she was being sincere that she didn't know your situation and thought you were just two buddies looking to room together.) I don't think she was trying to scam you, but rather, take advantage of you. I don't know you, but if you look like you have money, they'll try and squeeze as much out of you as possible. (just what I've seen before.)

Either way I wouldn't go back there though definatley. I'm sure there'* much better places out there for cheaper than that.

Much as I hate to say it, having grown up in that area, sounds like flat out predjudice to me.


But, dang, 300 bucks a month for rent sounds so cool. You couldn't touch an efficiency apartment for that around here.....

MOS is right though, but seeing as you grew up around this area, would you have payed $300 a month for one of those rent houses. You know what they look like LOL. You could light a match to them and get more on an insurance settlement. :P

Having a good real estate background I can't help myself but to chime in..

The house is what it is. Yes, she might be and probably is asking too much for rent. Again, it is what it is. It'll sit vacant for a while.

Having several rental houses of my own and my real estate license, what she did was just. She has every right to screen her tenants. Think about her position. She doesn't know you from the next guy. She'* trying to determine if you're joshing her with where you work and your income level. She'* merely looking for consistencies in the stories. I do the exact same thing as part of my screening process. And if the people get hasty (like it sounds like you did) I simply won't rent to them. Not someone I want to do business with.

By law, you don't have to tell her your income level. But you did. She can ask it, but you don't have to answer it. Most tenants don't know that. She can only do an employment verification on you.

Furthermore, it'* her rental policy that she takes a credit application. Very wise. I require it too. And most require a fee. Mine do. There is nothing wrong with her requiring a utility deposit. That'* good business practice.

I guess the bottom line is, don't bash her or the policies. What she'* doing is likely a result of being burned in the past. Policies are created and followed to protect yourself. That'* all she was doing.

Now, thinking the house was too much money for what it offered...that'* a different story. That'* why it'* a free market...continue to shop around! In the mean time, she'll be loosing income on that property.

I would rather rent to someone who was better organized then she was. I've spoken to two realators already about the situation, and they told me that she should have explained the terms of the lease to us, what she wanted, and THEN give us the application to rent the place. Instead she shoved us through the house, didn't ask us if we had any questions on the place, but rather on our personal lives, made us fill out a cheezy looking application with nothing but our personal information and a signature at the bottom. One realator asked if there was any indication of release of information terms on the credit application. I told them no, and they told me that we better becarefull because some people will do this to gain others personal information for their use. Thats all I need. I guess we were caught off guard by this lady, she didn't seem like she was interested more or less in the tenants applicability rather then their personal agenda, and if they were going to give her money right then and there. Thats one thing I can't stand especially with people selling something, when they say the words "so when do you think you could come up with the money" ESPECIALLY when I don't give them any indication or intention on buying what they are selling. I told this woman on the phone BEFORE she showed up that we were just looking at the place and wanted to know the terms on the lease and how much the rent, deposit, ect. was. You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink. This lady threw our heads in the water, and then walked away. It was one of those WTF moments.

After further explanation, you had a reason to be concerned. Everyone that works with me knows exactly what they're signing before they sign it. Being pushy does nothing but set yourself up for a bad name and adverse relationship. However, what she did was legal, just not very business friendly!

When I'm looking for tenants I really take my time and am not pushy. It'* very important to find the right tenant. I'm convinced that because of my screening process, that'* why I've never had to evict someone.

That is very true. Up until this point I've never been sceptical about renting a place, especially in a local area since we both grew up around here. But now I really don't know what to expect. We both have lived in very nice places before, and have never had problems with our realators. Going from a 6 digit income especially at our ages to a 5 digit income in the low 20'* is hell, especially with student loans. All we have left is the Bonneville, and our clothes. Moving back down here was hell cause of the pay cuts. I feel sorry for these elderly people around this area working 20+ years for the same family owned company, BARELLY making enough to get by and having to deal with these realators. (Who mind you are in relation or own most of the business'* that these people work for). Its a loose loose situation for middle and lower class folks in small towns.