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.
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Sara Gebhardt: Hello to everyone who has stopped by this afternoon. As usual, I welcome all questions rental-related. Let's get started!
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Washington, D.C.: Sara,
Is the 30 percent guideline for housing/renting based on gross or net income?
Also, does it include utilities or just the rent itself?
Sara Gebhardt: Many financial planners and housing experts advise people to spend no more than 30 percent of their gross income on rent. This is a general guideline (that does not account for utilities). Naturally, there are tons of people who cannot meet this guideline, and I'm sure many of you will be compelled to gripe that this is nearly impossible in the D.C. area unless you live in a group house. Go ahead, gripe away, but remember, I'm just the messenger.
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Logan Circle, D.C.: Hi Sara,
I had a gas leak that I asked about during one of your chats, and I got a lot of responses from chatters. I wanted to follow up: After four visits by the gas company, and three by a plumber I hired, the gas smell continued until I got home one night to a note from management saying there had been a leak in the pipe leading to all the apartments above and below me. After that, the gas smell in my apartment went away after a two-month ordeal. Moral of the story? Sometimes it's a bigger problem than you think. Also, I should have been more aggressive and had management check the building's main gas lines. Long story short... next week I'm moving to a different building - one with electric stoves.
Sara Gebhardt: Thanks for the update. Don't be too hard on yourself...You were vigilant about taking care of the situation. Good luck in your new abode.
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Arlington, Va.: Like your chats but just wondered, I’ve recently corresponded with several apartment complexes in Virginia online, and in one case, even filled out an online application but they don't call me or write back. Are they that busy? What do I do?
Sara Gebhardt: Well, if they're too busy to respond to you before you're a renter, they'll be too busy to help you out when you're living in that building. So, find buildings where the managers/landlords are responsive. It is possible that the staff is not used to online inquiries or something of the sort, so if you are dying to check out a specific building, go in person and gauge just how busy and/or accommodating the staff is. Going in person is ideal if you live in the area.
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Washington, D.C. (Georgetown): Hi Sara -- graduating in May and staying in the area, so I'm gonna have to find something off campus. Is it productive to be looking for apartments now, when I wouldn’t want to move-in until May? Or should I wait till it gets closer to graduation?
Sara Gebhardt: Yes, it is useful (but not necessary) to look far in advance of your move, even if only to get a feel for what you are looking for. Some larger complexes have waiting lists, or you might get yourself dibs on a unit whose occupant is moving out when you want to move in. Since it's really only 3 months away, however, you could spend the next month or so monitoring what is out there and the time after that securing a rental unit. Good luck!
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Alexandria, Va.: Hi,
A possibly strange question: I'm looking to rent a 2-bedroom apartment in Virginia (I'm a single, late-20's guy) and seem to be running into trouble from various people offering places. Money is not the problem, or credit, but there just seems to be (at least to me) some undisclosed worry about getting a two-bedroom place for one person.
Am I just crazy, or are owners less likely to rent a two-bedroom place to just one person?
Thanks!
Sara Gebhardt: You are totally crazy. Just jokes. It is indeed strange that you are having trouble renting a 2-bedroom apartment. I'd imagine landlords would like less occupants (less potential damage/problems). Usually if you have the income, nobody should be scrutinizing your use of space.
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Arlington, Va.: I am thinking of packing it all up and moving to California. I won't have a job when I get there, so how do apartments rent to folks like me? I will have almost six months of savings to live off of, but no current employer. Do you have to pay a higher deposit? Or several months rent up front?
Sara Gebhardt: It all depends on your situation. If you have solid rental history and a history of continuous employment, you should be able to convince someone to rent to you. Landlords will like you if you've always paid your rent, and if they are skeptical of your temporary unemployment status, offer to pay a few months rent up front or have someone to co-sign your lease.
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RE: Arlington: Online? When it comes to something as important as finding a place to live, you REALLY need to physically get out there and visit the places -- during the day when open and at night when closed, etc. See what it is really like!
Sara Gebhardt: My thoughts exactly. Barring certain circumstances, I don't think people should blindly rent an apartment online. It's not that you have to worry that sketchy people are posing as landlords on the Internet just for kicks, but you will never truly know what you're getting into unless you do some in-person investigating.
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Manassas, Va.: We plan to end our lease after renting for one year right out of college. If it looks like we have the finances, do you suggest we try buying soon by paying a little more a month ($200-$400) for a mortgage?
I feel like we're rushing things, but also don't want to waste the money on no ROI rent.
Sara Gebhardt: Buying vs. owning is a personal decision that requires you to weigh all the options. If you're not ready to buy, wait until you are. Rent month-to-month until you figure out exactly what you want to do.
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Washingon, D.C.: I recently just moved into my studio apartment in D.C. and would like to meet some people in my apartment complex. Any ideas on how I can meet some new faces especially since I'm new to the area? The complex is fairly large, so it's difficult to cross paths with the same people.
Sara Gebhardt: You can try to turn small talk in the elevator, lobby, or workout room into friendship. Or, if you're not that bold, ask your property manager to have a mixer for people to get together. You can also join (or form) clubs and groups in your neighborhood to meet some new folks.
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D.C.: Hey Sara, keep up the good work!
I had to turn my cable off cause it was too expensive. Do you know if a rabbit-ears-style antenna will work on my TV in my basement apartment? I hate missing Regis & Kelly in the morning!
Sara Gebhardt: I don't know much about this, but I do know you could probably live without Regis and Kelly. Have you gone to an electronics store and looked at your options?
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Md.: Get a written letter of reference from you current landlord, and get a temp job when you get there. That should help you land a rental unit. As a private landlord, I'd only agree to rent to someone who doesn't have a job with a hefty deposit or at least 4-5 months rent in advance.
Sara Gebhardt: Thanks for the landlord insight.
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RE: Renting vs. buying: Just want to point out that buying isn't just a matter of paying an amount to a bank vs. your landlord. When a sink backs up in a rental, your landlord fixes it. When it backs up in your place YOU are responsible. True, you get value in equity, but you can't eat paper. That equity means nothing until you cash it out and the money is in the bank. And there are never any guarantees - values do go down sometimes. Don't buy a home b/c it is a good investment, buy a home because you love it and want to live there. I'm a homeowner, btw, but there ARE good reasons for renting. Homeownership isn't a good deal for everyone.
Sara Gebhardt: Thanks for putting this so eloquently. There's a reason a lot of people choose to rent instead of buying. And vice versa.
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RE: Arlington (online applications): You also need to be careful of identity theft when filling out applications online. You are providing a gold mine of personal information. You need to be sure the company/landlord is using a secure site, does not sell your information, and of course be sure it is the real Web site of the property, not a fake.
Sara Gebhardt: True that!
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Columbia, Md.: Thanks for taking my question. My roommate and I are looking to find a 2br rental in the city. Our current lease is up in June; we're looking in the Cap. Hill area, mostly. Is there a rental rush to worry about between now and July - thinking interns/students - that will snatch up the few good, reasonable two-bedroom apts.? Any mgmt. or realty agencies you'd recommend?
Thanks!
Sara Gebhardt: There are more than a few good, reasonable two bedroom apartments. You can start looking before the summer, when interns and others come to the city, but remember that D.C. is a transient place to begin with, and if you do enough leg work, you can find a good apartment any time of the year.
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Washington, D.C.: My next door neighbor can hear my phone conversations through the walls. "Thin walls," he says. This is so awkward! What do I do? Talk in the bathroom?
Sara Gebhardt: Talk louder. No, just remember someone might be listening; or add some furniture to your space to absorb the sound. Remind him that it's a two-way street, also, and maybe he'll feel awkward enough to stop listening.
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Washington, D.C.: About 2BR apartments rented by one person:
Dollars to doughnuts, the landlords are concerned that the individual is going to be subletting the other bedroom, potentially to multiple people. (As an example, see last week's WP article in which renters (of 1BRs!) were letting several single male day laborers sleep on the living room floor for a fee. I know other renters who have sublet an extra bedroom to an entire family.)
With the cost of housing in this area, this sort of activity is a huge issue.
Sara Gebhardt: Well everyone has a different reason for why a landlord might not want to rent a 2 bedroom to a single guy. One is that landlords find 1-bedrooms harder to rent than 2-bedrooms, and thus want to get rid of their 1-bedrooms when they can. Another reason is the point you make too. As long as the renter is persistent in his desire to find a 2-bedroom, though, I bet he will.
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Waldorf, Md.: In reference to the person complaining about the cost of cable, I believe that in some areas, you can get a cable at a discounted price with only the local channels and a few others, if the rabbit ears don't work out. It may be worth calling the cable company and asking about.
Sara Gebhardt: I'm sure basement apartment dwellers would appreciate this tip.
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Washington, D.C.: Hey Sara! You rock! I bet you're the kind of cool chick who wears pink gazelles, right? So, being a hipster, how many apartments did you live in before you settled into your current (and presumably plush) pad?
Sara Gebhardt: Way to get personal. I have lived in several different housing situations over the years, including with a roommate, in a group house, by myself both in the city and the suburbs. Presume away about my pad's plushness. You know what they say about assuming!
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Arlington, Va.: I am about to sign a lease on an Apartment in Arlington. One question I have is there seems to be something about the possibility of raising the rent (up to 15%) at the end of the lease period. Is that common? Do rental rates ever drop (due to saturation in the area)?
Sara Gebhardt: Yes, it is common for your rent to be raised around here. Don't count on your rent dropping due to saturation. It does happen every now and then, but since there are so many people vying for apartments around here, it's rare.
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RE: Thin walls: I've never had walls THAT thin, but have in the past put up rugs on the wall. I used carpet tack and had to drill holes to put up the tack, but was easily able to fill them in when I left (they weren't large).
That should help. I bought inexpensive rugs at Ikea.
Sara Gebhardt: Here's an idea that I'm not sure I should endorse. I like to leave the drilling to the owners of the unit, but I suppose if you say it was easy to fill-in the holes, I'll believe you.
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RE: Meeting neighbors: This worked for me... when I moved into my studio apartment; I threw myself a housewarming party. Invited old roomies and friends. I also slipped notes under the doors of a bunch of apartments close to mine (above and below me, plus on either side), saying call me if the noise bugs you, or drop by if you want. One girl dropped by and ended up being a good friend and a couple of people who couldn't make it dropped off flowers/gifts. Who says the city's unfriendly?
Sara Gebhardt: What a heartwarming Apartment Life story. Thank you.
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RE: Online: I think it's a great idea to do your initial shopping online. There are so many communities out there that a little online research can help narrow it down. The thing that gets me about these management companies not replying to online queries is that they'll waste more time in person trying to sell me on an apartment in person that I subsequently discover is out of my price range. Why oh why can't they just answer the most important questions (How much does it cost? Can I afford it?) on the Web site without making me fill out a form and putting me on some apartment industry marketing list?
Sara Gebhardt: This is true. Online searching can narrow it down and can be useful in the apartment-hunting process. It's just not something you should rely on 100%.
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Arlington, Va.: One more question.
Would you consider special deals like one or two months of free rent and/or reduced fees as something people should take advantage of or are there hidden twists (other than paying back the perks if one breaks the lease)?
Thanks so much!
Sara Gebhardt: The alternative to taking advantage of incentives is not taking advantage of them, right? Sure, a month's free rent may not amount to much in the long term and may just cloud your actual cost of the rent over the entire term, but if you consider it for what it is, you will not be falling into any trap.
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Washington, D.C.: What the heck are pink gazelles?
Sara Gebhardt: They're a kind of kicks (a.k.a. shoes).
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Silver Spring, Md.: It's true, cable companies don't advertise it because they don't make much profit from it, but they are legally required to offer "basic" cable, or similarly named, which offers just the rock bottom local network lineup.
Sara Gebhardt: Thanks for the tip.
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Maryland: If 2 unit apts. are available, and you meet the income or other requirements, they can't legally not rent them to you. It is housing discrimination based on his being single (discrimination based on marital status). He might go a long way in pointing that out to the rental agent in a nice and non-threatening way (which really is possible, I swear).
Sara Gebhardt: You're right. Thanks.
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Gaithersburg, Md.: To the person who just had to cancel cable because of the expense. You should be able to just the basic broadcast channels for $15 or so per month, no box or remote required (as long as your TV is cable ready, which most are these days). At least that's what Comcast Montgomery is charging. Small price to pay for a quality signal (and believe me I know what the broadcast signals look like on rabbit ears these day... not good).
Sara Gebhardt: More on cable for the person who wants basic channels...
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Sara Gebhardt: Wow, my time is up. Thanks for the spirited discussion today. I'll see you back here next month!
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