6 Tips for Finding a Rental Home in Winter
Don’t be discouraged if an off-season PCS has you searching for a rental home over the winter months. Although not the traditional season to move, the cold weather offers unique opportunities and advantages not normally found during the spring and summer. Embrace the transition—you might just save time and money.
If the military determined your PCS destination early, take advantage of this gift and start learning everything there is to know about the next city. Or, more likely, if the orders were last minute or slow to come, you’ve got to multi-task! Jump in and start the house hunt while simultaneously researching the next destination.
1. Alert the media!
Well, not exactly, but close. It’s time to hit social media and begin asking for tips and advice for moving to your new installation or city. Mention the impending PCS to your military friends and ask for referrals for real estate professionals like an agent or property manager.
Although military family-focused online groups are deep wells of information, you may have to venture beyond service and join local renters or real estate groups who are non-military, especially if your duty station is very small or located far from a major installation. If given enough advanced notice, start following a handful of real estate agents that serve your new locale. They often showcase upcoming available properties.
2. Start an official home search with MilitaryByOwner.
MilitaryByOwner’s site is regularly updated with new ads and has multiple methods to search: State, military installation, zip code, and city. While searching through other home advertising sites, you’ll find it’s common for property owners to list their homes in multiple places, which is beneficial for the landlord/owner since more visibility makes a house easier to rent. However, it can be discouraging for renters to visit several sites and repeatedly see the same home over and over.
You’ll also begin to notice price point trends related to rental payments each month. Your searches will reveal what to expect to pay for your most valued amenities such as commute times or the number of bedrooms and bathrooms.
3. Determine your budgetary guidelines.
After noticing the going rental rates, it’s time to prioritize how your housing money is spent each month. First things first: Double check the most current BAH rates (you can find current rates here). These numbers could further adjust what type of rental is affordable.
Keep in mind that, due to the timing of an off-season move, you could have flexibility when discussing rental payments with the homeowner, as they are reluctant to keep the house unoccupied while waiting for spring. More cost savings negotiation points include move-in and move-out dates and pet policies.
4. Plan for your pet.
More and more homeowners allow for pets in their rental property, but not all. It’s possible a winter rental search will have less inventory compared to a summertime move. In this situation, and with a pet to care for, it might be time to go above and beyond the traditional pet deposit.
In a show of support of how wonderful, clean, and safe your pet is, consider swaying an unconvinced landlord by presenting documentation of specialized training, a glowing referral from a previous landlord, and receipts that show flea and tick care is administered each month.
5. Make the most of your time home shopping.
While waiting on return emails and calls from homeowners, educate yourself or refresh your knowledge on important topics related to renting such as the reverse military clause, the SCRA, and state laws regarding security deposits.
Don’t forget to inventory household items to determine if your renter’s insurance coverage is accurate. These housekeeping points allow for the rental search to proceed smoothly and avoid disappointment and frustration after the fine print is eventually revealed.
6. Consider hiring a relocation specialist.
Not every rental market offers this type of solution, but a relocation specialist such as a real estate agent or property manager could save hours spent looking for rentals. Both are strong resources for finding and managing rental property. Rentals are part of their business model, which means you might have to pay fees or contract with the agent or manager to work on your behalf. But it may be worth it, since this connection could significantly lessen the stress of finding a house, especially while house hunting long distance. They have eyes and ears on the local market and often know of homes becoming available before they are publicly listed.
An off-season move doesn’t have to be filled with dread and anxiety. Many families actually prefer this time of year for many reasons including the fact that entire moving industry slows down, which means moving companies have more availability for move-out and move-in dates, and packers are allowed more time to securely box items.
For the best outcome, follow these six steps to help ease the stress of a wintertime move.
By Dawn M. Smith for MilitaryByOwner
