Читать книгу Home Buying Kit For Dummies - Eric Tyson - Страница 17

A final (and not inconsequential) benefit of owning your own home is that you don’t have to subject yourself to the whims of an evil landlord. Much is made among real estate investors of the challenges of finding good tenants. As a tenant, perhaps you’ve already discovered that finding a good landlord isn’t easy, either.

The fundamental problem with some landlords is that they’re slow to fix problems and make improvements. The best (and smartest) landlords realize that keeping the building shipshape helps attract and keep good tenants and maximizes rents and profits. But to some landlords, maximizing profits means being stingy with repairs and improvements.

When you own your home, the good news is that you’re generally in control — you can get your stopped-up toilet fixed or your ugly walls painted whenever and however you like. No more hassling with unresponsive, obnoxious landlords. The bad news is that you’re responsible for paying for and ensuring completion of the work. Even if you hire someone else to do it, you still must find competent contractors and oversee their work, neither of which is an easy responsibility.

Another risk of renting is that landlords may decide to sell the building and put you out on the street. You should ask your prospective landlords whether they have plans to sell. Some landlords won’t give you a truthful answer, but the question is worth asking if this issue is a concern to you.

One way to avoid being jilted by a wayward landlord is to request that the lease contract guarantee you the right to renew your annual lease for a certain number of years, even with a change in building ownership. Unless landlords are planning on selling, and perhaps want to be able to boot you out, they should be delighted with a request that shows you’re interested in staying a while. Also, by knowing if and when a landlord desires to sell, you may be able to be the buyer!