Welcome to Apartment Life, an online discussion of the Washington area rental market, featuring Post columnist Sara Gebhardt.
In
her monthly exchanges with the audience, Gebhardt discusses rental issues and lifestyle matters.
The transcript follows.
Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.
_____________
Sara Gebhardt:
Good afternoon, all. Lots of questions already, so let's get to them!
_______________________
Alexandria, Va.: Sara and other posters ...
I gave notice last week for my apartment. I would like to live in a small apartment (not too many units in a building) or perhaps look into renting a condo or townhouse.
How you suggest I go about finding property managers/realtors to help me with my search? Walking around Del Ray I saw the most adorable apartments, but you would never know about them, because they are not advertised.
Thanks!
Sara Gebhardt: A few realtors help people look for rental properties, so you can inquire with local realty firms. The real "cute" places you probably see are most likely rented through word of mouth. Often people who own condos or townhouses rely on friends or coworkers to advertise in their circles before they advertise online or in a newspaper. Start spreading the word that this is what you're looking for, and you might find out about some of these places.
_______________________
Centreville, Va.: Perhaps this is a minor problem, but perhaps you or other readers have insight. I put up a dartboard in my apartment, and now, of course, there are some pesky little pin-size holes in the wall around it. Any way to cover them up easily?
Sara Gebhardt: You can fill in the holes using spackle and/or a dab of paint. Other people who may not care about their apartments (or their landlords) all that much have been known to use white toothpaste to cover up holes in their walls when they move out... not that I'm advocating that.
_______________________
Washington, D.C.: Maybe this is just wishful thinking but it seems that apartment rates in the District seem to have stabilized, as the top price buildings seem to be offering 2 mos. free. Also, there seems more of a range, with some as low as $760 and others near $900.
Sara Gebhardt: Well, rates are not skyrocketing at the moment, but they're not necessarily going down either. DC remains a competitive market with relatively high rents, but there is always opportunity to find good deals if you work hard enough at it. Also, where you see deals offering free rent, you should look a little closer and do the math to see what the monthly rent would be if you averaged in the incentive.
_______________________
Gaithersburg, Md.: I am very afraid that with the rent increase that will occur when I re-sign my lease, I will be priced out of my apartment. Is there anything I can do to secure my current rate? I tried when I signed the initial lease, but they told me it would increase anyway. I don't make a lot working for a non-profit and cannot afford to move ... any advice?
Sara Gebhardt: Talk to your landlord and make a case for you as a model tenant. Offer to sign a longer lease, as a landlord would rather have a reliable known quantity than a new tenant.
_______________________
Washington, D.C.: Hi Sara,
Just wondering where would you recommend the Nationals players to live in D.C.? A story in The Post said some players were looking at apartments in/near Georgetown. Hmmm ... ball players and Georgetown ... it just sounds weird to me.
I'm just curious what other good choices our city have to offer.
Sara Gebhardt: I'll leave this one to everybody out there. Since I'm not really in the business of stereotyping, so I don't know where the Nationals players would want to live. Baseball players (or anyone else) in Georgetown seem alright to me as long as they like the area and it is convenient for them. D.C. has so many great neighborhoods that I'm sure any new city residents could find their place.
_______________________
Bethesda, Md.: My current lease is up at the end of July, and I am
looking to move into a new and larger apartment.
First, when is the appropriate time to start
contacting places? I have called a few already
and they all say I am too early. Second, are there
some months better than others for availability?
Thanks.
Sara Gebhardt: There's a lot of turnover all the time in the DC area, especially at the beginning and end of the summer, as interns and students come and go. Generally, you can identify buildings you'd like to live in as early as you want and inquire with them if there's a waiting list for apartments. You aren't necessarily too early, but more likely you will have more concrete options the closer you are to moving, say 2 months beforehand.
_______________________
Washington, D.C.: Hi Sara -- Thank you, in advance, for taking my question. I have neighbors upstairs who compulsively insist on making margaritas at around 11 each night, and sometimes 11:30 or 12 midnight. These are frozen margaritas, which means that their blender, an old model, must churn for no less than 2, and sometimes 3 or 4, minutes. I do not drink, and while I do not have a problem with people who do, I do not appreciate this sudden interruption in my routine, especially as the blender affects my television's reception of "Nightline," my favorite program. I am wondering what rights I have as an apartment dweller in this case. I understand that mine is a rather specific question, but I believe there are many other people out there, probably more than you realize, who are also disturbed by their neighbors' rude use of contraptions designed to enhance the consumption of distilled spirits. Can you help? Thanks again.
Sara Gebhardt: Believe me, I realize that many apartment-dwellers are disturbed by neighbors' noise. I am constantly reminded of this. First, how do you know your neighbor makes frozen margaritas and why does it matter? Even if your neighbor was using the blender to make fruit smoothies, the noise would disturb you. In either case, my personal opinion is that you can withstand 2-4 minutes a night of blender noise and fuzzy "Nightline" reception for the general happiness of the community. If, for some reason, you cannot, perhaps ask your neighbor to use the blender in a different outlet (so as not to interfere with your television reception).
_______________________
Arlington, Va.: Know where I can go to anonymously complain about my former apartment complex/management company? I never declared residency in Va. (moving back to home state) and don't want to have to worry about any issues resulting from me not claiming residency. Or, does that not matter since I'm no longer living in Arlington or on a lease?
Sara Gebhardt: It doesn't matter where you live if you are anonymously complaining. You can go to the Better Business Bureau and the local housing office and file complaints.
_______________________
D.C.: How long do you wait before asking former landlord for security deposit? Did the walk-through/turned in keys 2 weeks ago. Landlord said everything looked in fine condition, but didn't have checkbook with him. Is it too soon to call and ask for check?
Sara Gebhardt: You can call and ask for a check, but technically in D.C., the landlord has 45 days to return your deposit.
_______________________
Temple Hills, Md.: Is it impossible to find an apartment in a decent neighborhood in the $650-$700 price range?
Sara Gebhardt: No, it is not impossible. If you are willing to live with roommates, you will have a better shot of finding something in that price range. Also look at studio apartments. You will have to do a lot of legwork to get such a good deal, but it has been done before.
_______________________
Blacksburg, Va.: I need to move cross-country and am looking into short-term leases at apartments in Oregon. I asked one for square footage of various units and was told "We do not have the square footage of any apartment for legal purposes." This is the stupidest thing I've ever heard. Can it be true that they don't have to tell you how big an apartment is? It's hard enough to rent something sight unseen, but without knowing the size is very tough.
Sara Gebhardt: Legally, I do not know if apartment complexes are required to give you square footages. It does sound suspicious to me too, and regardless of whether they're telling the truth, I'd steer clear of any management company that doesn't give up this information. You don't want to even think about moving into an apartment sight unseen without knowing how big (or small) it is. Plus, managers like that will probably have other flaws, problems with interpersonal communication, or issues with power.
_______________________
TV-land: Hello chatters, I'm writing with a update about the basement apartment-rabbit ears conundrum ... I got a cheap set of rabbit ears at Circuit City and found that I get decent reception when I plug them into my DVD player, which is plugged into my t.v. Sometimes the picture gets fuzzy and stuff but it's generally watch-able.
Sara Gebhardt: I love that your rabbit ears are doing so well. A reader emailed me last week to tell me that when she runs rabbit ears through her VCR, the reception is great. She did mention that she doesn't live in a basement apartment, but still, people obviously care about the rabbit ears issues. Goes to show you that not everyone subscribes to cable t.v.
_______________________
Margaritaville: As in investment in sanity, buy them a new low-noise blender. Probably set you back $50, which would be $$ well spent.
Sara Gebhardt: For the person bothered by the blender...
_______________________
Silver Spring, Md.: Hi Sara. I'm moving into my first apartment soon (yay!). Any advice for me? Should I get renter's insurance?
Sara Gebhardt: I have loads of advice, naturally. Do get renter's insurance, introduce yourself to your neighbors, walk softly, and educate yourself about renting, perhaps by reading some of my columns. Also, when you move-in, take pictures of the condition of the apartment, and if possible, have your landlord sign a checklist outlining these conditions. This will save you a headache over your security deposit at the end of your tenancy.
_______________________
D.C.: How soon is too soon to start looking for a place for August? I'm getting married then, and my fiance and I would like to live in D.C. Is that a difficult month to find a place with students returning/coming into town?
Sara Gebhardt: You can start looking at buildings now to get an idea of what you want. Once you narrow down a neighborhood and building type (small, big, garden style, hi-rise, etc.), you can begin inquiring about availability down the road. Two or three months before your move is enough time to complete this process.
_______________________
RE: Complaints: There is a Web site www.apartmentratings.com. Former tenants give thoughts and experiences on apartment dwelling around the country.
Sara Gebhardt: True.
_______________________
Adams Morgan, D.C.: I'm pretty happy with my studio apartment and am planning on staying there another year. Right now, I'm month-to-month and my rent has been increasing $10-30/month each year. It's starting to get a little out of my ideal range and I'm afraid that the increase this year will be $30-40.
How likely do you think it would be if I went back to them and said that I'd be willing to sign a year lease if they dropped the price instead of increasing?
I haven't seen anything else as nice (or large) for the same price range, so even if they said no, I'd still want to stay.
Sara Gebhardt: It could go either way. It depends on how set the landlord is in raising the rent. Often, a landlord would rather have a stable renter and not have to do any major clean-up/apartment turnover, and therefore would like its tenants to stay for as long as they want (assuming they're good residents). So, just ask and say you're willing to go back on a 12-month lease.
_______________________
Bethesda, Md.: Hey Sara! In response to the person wanting to fill in dart holes -- they make spackle in a tube that you push up (like a big tube of chapstick) and the lid is a little spatula. Cheap and VERY effective, even for big nail holes! Should be able to find it at Home Depot or Lowe's.
Sara Gebhardt: Thanks!
_______________________
Seattle, Wash.: What do most renters do when they are moving from one apartment where the lease ends on the last day of the month to another apartment where the lease begins on the first day of the next month? Do people try to rent the U-Haul for two days (the 31st and the 1st, for example)? Or do people try to negotiate with either landlord to be able to stay an extra day or start the new lease a day early?
Sara Gebhardt: Most people move in one day, and try to overlap their tenancies by a day, or move a day earlier or later.
_______________________
Portland, Oregon: Square footage is classified info? Must be renting from the FBI Terrorism Task Force (local joke). Most landlords and managers hereabouts are only too eager to tell you how massive and spacious the overpriced apts. are.
Sara Gebhardt: Thanks for the comment.
_______________________
Arlington, Va.: Is it abnormal for landlords to request that all applicants pay a fee for a credit check? I understand the need to get a credit report once a new tenant is chosen, but why subject all applicants to this fee if they have a fraction of a chance of getting the apartment?
Sara Gebhardt: No, it is not abnormal for landlords to check the credit of all applicants. Theoretically, they are reviewing each applicant's stats before choosing their ideal tenants. If a building is fully occupied with no vacancies for the coming months, a landlord shouldn't be taking applications.
_______________________
New York, N.Y.: Should I avoid a lease if I have the option? I live in an owner-occupied brownstone (I'm the only tenant), and my lease is up this month. He made it clear he'd like me to stay and isn't even raising my rent...he treats me like family.
In New York, a month-to-month lease is unheard of, so this could be great if I decide not to stay a full year for any reason. But what are my rights, living without a lease? Obviously laws vary state by state (and I hear N.Y. is very generous to tenants, sometimes at the expense of landlords), but is it worth it to mention the lease and resign it?
Sara Gebhardt: If you have a lease in place, then usually what happens after the tenancy remains is it automatically becomes month-to-month. By staying in the apartment past its termination date, you are creating a month-to-month tenancy anyway. So you'll still be protected by the lease clauses in place, and everything should turn out just fine.
_______________________
Logan Circle, D.C.: Maybe this is more Hax-y, but it's about apartments ... I have a crush on a guy who lived a few doors down, but we just flirted in the hallway and never exchanged numbers, etc. Now I live somewhere else and want to ask him out since we're not neighbors anymore. But I can't just bump into him in the elevator anymore! What can I do? It's so tragic! Please help!
Sara Gebhardt: Is it really tragic? Around town (in the City Paper and the Post) there are 'I Saw You' and 'Missed Connections' ads and other ways to try to find people who you've seen but not had the courage to make a move. If you knew his name or anything about him, you could attempt to find him on the Internet or you could go by your old building and "bump" into him outside one morning when he leaves for work. There's really no smooth way to go about doing this, so make sure he reciprocated your feelings, lest he might be a little freaked out by your pseudo-stalking-tactics.
_______________________
Washington, D.C.: So does that mean that every time I open the refrigerator after 11, I must be taking out the vodka? Weird. That person needs to chill out.
Sara Gebhardt: Thanks for the response.
_______________________
RE: "Gene" alert: Sara,
Don't you think the person who wrote in about the margaritas is really Gene Weingarten?
Sara Gebhardt: I have no idea. Last I checked Gene didn't live in an apartment.
_______________________
Sara Gebhardt: Well, that's all folks. I'll be back next month to talk more about renting and all of its fascinating elements. Thanks for tuning in!
_______________________
