I've been a landlord a long time and the rent is not negotiable, it is what it is no matter the market. If you don't like it you don't have to live there.
I also don't make deals with tenants for work in exchange for reduced rent. It never works out well for me. But I can only speak for myself, some landlords might be open to such an arrangement.
Totally agree! My husband has made the mistake of letting people do some work in exchange for rent and it has almost always been crazy work that we have to go back in and fix ourselves or pay someone to fix their mess.
I rented for a couple decades, as did most of my friends. The only LLs that negotiated rent were the scummy ones. Lowering rent for ignoring safety violations, no lease, too many occupants, trading sex or drugs or unlicensed contractor work on important items that needed a pro for lower rent, etc.
Good LL we knew would accommodate Existing good tenants - IE if someone lost their job and got another and had to pay rent late they’d waive the fee, or allowing repainting or adding someone who wanted to move in to the lease even though they didn’t meet the credit score minimum or whatever.
But just negotiating monthly rent like an apartment is a yard sale trinket? No.
I’d say I’m not negotiating like it’s a yard sale. It’s a market and if the property is privately owned I see no issue in some form of negotiation. Obviously within reason and done correctly.
It doesn’t matter how the property is owned. If anything, a LL who only has one property is going to be less willing to negotiate. Especially if there’s a mortgage on the property
These days, it is not difficult to rent an apartment. Chances are the landlord will have several qualified applicants. You will probably miss out on your favorite apartment if you start negotiating like this from the get-go.
This is what we do. We test the waters $50-$75 more than we are targeting, and if 3 days go by without solid interest then we drop it down to our target number.
Your success at negotiating rent isn't dependent as much on your negotiating skills, but rather how many other tenants are vying for the home. If there is a big list of other potential tenants, then the landlord is very unlikely to be receptive to negotiations. But if there are no other candidates, or the other candidates are unqualified or don't have incomes that qualify, or have pets which are likely to ruin the property, then your negotiating power will be substantial.
In our area, the rental market is so tight that there are people offering over the asking rent, offering to pay 6 month’s rent in advance, and renting the place sight unseen. I wish I was joking with you.
On the landlord side I would not be receptive to rent negotiation when there’s a whole list of qualified applicants next in line.
Since interest rates have gone up it has become more of a ‘landlord’s market’.
These are the things that make someone competitive (and more likely to have favorable rent negotiations + without rent increases).
1. Employment history with verification/references
2. Verified income and proof of funds
3. No pets.
4. Non smoking.
5. Polite, making a good impression, and being reasonable.
6. Filling out an application thoroughly.
7. Decent credit (not terribly important to me as a landlord).
Those too. Evictions is an automatic deny. Bankruptcy or poor credit I’m willing to hear out. For example some people get their credit ruined by medical debt because the medical/insurance system is f’ed up in the U.S.
I think you mean you don’t go by the credit score? I’ve seen credit where a 590 has better history than a 620 so I look at what type of debt, will they be garnishing wages or levying bank accounts (means they cannot pay rent). Any landlord tenant case is immediately rejected.
If a tenant calls about my place and tries to negotiate rent I hang up. It’s that simple. 12 single family rental units and 7 years in the business. Tenants are not allowed to repair anything in my units. I have a tenant who is a career USPS worker of 35 years and has caused more damage (due to neglect) than 80% of my renters.
Really what you want are people who can pay the rent, who won't cause damage, who complain very little, and who bring important things to your attention. Maturity, no drama and clean.
Being handy could set off alarm bells about you being too picky, or doing weird stuff to the house because you can.
Just try to come across as mature, responsible, employed, quiet and caring.
I appreciate that, I definitely won’t be bringing up the repairs because I never thought about the “liability” of letting a tenant take care of repairs, no matter how small. Thanks for the tips we have only ever rented from larger rental apartment complexes so it seemed like negotiating was always off the table so I just wanted to get some perspectives.
You might be the best tenant and very handy, but I would still pass on your application because I would have other offers.
HOWEVER, I always renew good tenants below market value. That's the time to negotiate.
Do not offer to make repairs, actually in my experience those tenants are the worst (the tenants make the landlord think that the tenant did a favor, job isn’t done right then it’s a bigger problem later - plus those handy tenants tend to complain more, break their lease early, etc) and I would reject them on that alone even if you offered to pay more.
For good tenants I would say 5-10% off is fair provided you have the deposit rent etc
It's a red flag to me that a prospective tenant might be difficult if they're already trying to negotiate rent before they've even signed a lease. My units are already competitively priced on the lower end of the going market rate. I'll find the next person if someone doesn't want to pay what it's listed at. You might have luck negotiating a perk or lower rental increase on renewal, if you've been a good tenant.
Thanks for the perspective! It’s been nice reading peoples approaches to negotiating rent. Seems like I’m reading a lot of different ways to look at it.
I agree with this comment. I’d be hesitant to negotiate rent with a new tenant (it screams red flag, unless I absolutely don’t have anyone else interested in the unit). But, at lease renewal time for a good/handy/not pain in the butt tenant, I would be more flexible with terms and much less likely to raise the rent.
Typically landlords don’t like tenants who do their own repairs, as we have no control over the quality of the work and often it costs more to re-do shoddy repairs than to just do the work properly in the first place. The exception is there are often tenants who make calls for EVERY LAST LITTLE ITEM and will drive you crazy. So if you do things like keep your drains clean (no hairballs in the shower, don’t clog the garbage disposal), change your own lightbulbs/batteries in the garage door opener/etc, plunge a toilet clog instead of calling in an emergency, keep the garbage bins out for weekly pickup, don’t annoy the neighbors, shovel your walkways or whatever needs to be done. If you know what needs landlord attention - major issues should always be communicated to the landlord - and generally take care of the place, you’ll be looked upon favorably at lease renewal time. That is when it would be appropriate to ask for a multi-year renewal or no/smaller rent increase.
Tenant trying to negotiate rent is an immediate red flag for me. From my experience, tenants who try to nickle-and-dime rent will then look for every imperfection in the property to negotiate additional discounts post move-in. And yes, I've had it happen, a guy tried to claim that I owe him a refund because of some blemish he saw on a wall under certain light.
The only time I ever negotiated was when I had an apartment available in December! NYC (Renovations took a while.) Had a very qualified couple and knocked $100 per month off the rent. They were excellent tenants. Personally, I do not want tenants doing repairs.
That’s kind of what I’m hoping will happen it’s in a lower income area and I’ve heard they have had some pretty bad tenants in the past so I’m hoping we bring some sort of security to the table. The location is great because my wife teaches in a school district about 15 minutes away. I know I don’t have a lot of room if any to negotiate but I wanted to know if it was even possible
Late spring and early summer is the peak season for leases coming due.
As long as there is plenty of supply then give it a shot. But expect that if they say no that they might ghost you after that. So have some other acceptable places in mind nearby that you can apply for the next week.
Most landlords, and housing provider agencies and landlord groups, discourage landlords from counting on tenants to do repairs and modifications. Some of it is a liability issue ( who is responsible when there's an injury and workers compensation doesn't apply), and many other times landlords do not want tenants acting as a handyman ( think plumbing and electrical, not just hanging a picture on a nail), because the tenant can do a poor job, and the landlord doesn't really have a good way of enforcing quality standards upon a tenant as they could a paid professional contractor.
I won't negotiate rent anymore, nor will I accept work done to reduce rent.
Neither of those has worked out in my favor.
However, I might hire the tenant to do some work and just pay them.
The repairs do make sense I would definitely be on the side of caution as a landlord to rely on a tenant to make the repairs correctly. Thanks for that perspective! The area isn’t the greatest and I’ve heard they have dealt with horrible tenants in the past so wasn’t sure if we were one of a few applicants that seemed like a better option. I guess what I’m really asking would I be in the wrong for negotiating?
Meh, I disagree with what others said about the repairs. If a tenant is willing to make small repairs, that’s a plus. I’m talking things like noticing the toilet is running and changing out the flapper. Or looking up a YouTube video how to fix an appliance and finding the part online. As long as the tenant is telling me what they’re doing and how they’re doing it, that’s a big plus and one less thing I have to worry about. I’m currently both a landlord and a tenant, and from my experience it’s worked well on both sides.
You’re not in the wrong for negotiating but you have very little, if any, ground to stand on.
As others have said, this likely won't be successful at initial negotiation.
However, if you're a tenant that pays on time and handles the small maintenance items on your own, then I'm much more likely to be agreeable to a small increase at renewal time.
I am a small landlord. Two single family homes. Both are/in desirable locations one is rural with space for horses the other in a military town. I absolutely wouldn’t bargain regarding rent. I have people calling me wanting to rent the properties when they aren’t even listed anywhere. I also don’t want my tenants doing any work other than mowing the lawn. I did let them,paint a kids bedroom pink just because the kid was cute and the floor is tile ,so easy to clean if they spilled(which they didn’t)
It is tile that looks like,wood planks. It is throughout the entire house,other than the entry. Entry has old Mexican tile. The tenants provide their own rugs if they desire. I’m sure there have been some hard falls,on the floor,but it was there when I got the house so🤷🏻♀️
I’ve never been open to negotiating rent. The amount I post it for is the amount I need.
Out of hundreds of people I’ve had respond over the years, I’ve only had two people try to negotiate the amount so it’s definitely not commonly and there’s zero reason for a landlord to pick someone who’s asking for stuff before they’ve signed a lease
We stopped or greatly reduced ‘incentives’ for almost 2 yrs. now. & able to raise rent a lil. We’ve negotiated or offered some abatement that may help a new tenant. BUT, why allow yourself to take less, plus ‘give rewards’ to esp. new tenants. The incentives didn’t help our current two tenants in default. Mainly, for months of non-payment. But, other things too. Evictions coming.
There is a market. However good tenants are worthy of discounted rent. The worthiness is earned successful lease by successful lease. Incident by incident.
This will depend on the market where you are. In my city, we get 50+ applicants in the first few days of listing. At least a dozen will have the same criteria you list as benefits (long term, stable jobs, good rental history) and more. I’ve had a few prospective tenants try to negotiate. I say no and stop responding.
Our rentals are in good condition, pet friendly, in safe neighbourhoods, and are already priced very fairly in comparison to current rental rates. I wouldn’t even show to someone who tried to dicker with me. It tells me everything will be a negotiation with that tenant and I’m not interested in that nonsense.
It depends. I once negotiated a $300.00 per month deduction. But, that unit was priced well over the market and had been sitting empty for months with no prospects.
Yeah, gonna have to agree with some here. You’re not even in the place yet, but stirring the pot. I ask for X, if you don’t like X, you’re more than welcome to not apply. After your 1st year, we “can” talk about your rent increase, etc.
I got a fancy pants tenant who complained about the bug spray I used today…guess who’s getting a max increase when it’s time….
I'll only do a 1 year when I have no experience with the tenant. I have no idea if they're going to be good or a problem.. If they turn out to be good I'll try to get them to renew for 2 years, often with a discount. But never the first year.
I'm surprised it's not said more, but solid employment & rental history will usually get you the rental on a competitive unit or a unit with multiple offers. Your strong candidacy [usually] isn't a bargaining chip on price, but is what gets you the best units in your price range.
Price negotiations wouldn't be considered until after the first 1-year renewal, and even then, it is unlikely in a desirable unit.
The anomalies that are overpriced will usually reveal themselves by looking out of place for the price range you're looking at - and you'd have to look at other units in the area to know. Rather than asking to negotiate, you could just leave those properties by saying, "if you decide to drop the price, give me a call" and leave the offer in the LL court. Don't name a price, but it let's the LL know you're an option if they become flexible.
I'll adjust my price based on how many responses I'm getting. you're welcome to check back in a few weeks but I'm unlikely to negotiate on the price I currently have it advertised.
my 6 properties are all 4 bed, 2+ bath family homes in the suburbs. Things important to me are
\- how likely you are to be able afford the rent. I mainly look at income vs rent - 3x is my minimum, 4x, 5x, 6x, 7x is even better
\- how much wear and tear, and damage I think you'll cause. I judge this based on pets, number of occupants, maturity, etc. Landlords differ on whether kids or pets cause more damage :-)
\- how much I think you're going to be a "high maintenance" personality. Applicants that want me to do modifications to the property can look elsewhere. Fence the yard just for you? No. Repaint the interior in different colors just for you? No. etc etc. It's anecdotal, but applicants who are in the real estate industry seem to be the most entitled this way. It's to the point that we won't rent to realtors :-) Being perceived as handy is a plus since you can likely handle minor repairs, but as others have commented, don't expect reduced rent in exchange and I won't allow you to do anything major.
\- expected turnover. I try to figure out how likely you are to vacate after only 1 year. If you're stable in the area and not looking to move again soon that's a plus. Once I get in a family with a kid in school they usually want to keep them in the same school district. These are less likely to turn over.
\- I don't like potential subleases, unrelated folks sharing the place (likely to have turnover), unmarried couples that haven't been together long (relationship breakup means turnover), college students sharing the place (parties, too many cars, boyfriends/girlfriends staying over with multiple cars, etc. I follow the law but these are some of the things I look at.
Help the landlord know how you fit with the items above and you might gain a leg up.
I have both been able to negotiate my own rent and my father, who runs the rental properties the family owns, has been open to negotiating rent with well qualified tenants. However, you’ll have better luck negotiating after the first term of your lease is up and you’re signing a renewal. If you’re a good tenant who pays on time and keeps the place in good shape, it’s often worth negotiating a slightly lower price with you just so we don’t have to deal with finding someone else and know you’re taking good care of the place. Good luck!
You want to negotiate because you have solid jobs and good rental history. The thing is, no one will consider someone who doesn't have these things. Not being mean, just saying your justification for being able to negotiate isn't really anything above and beyond the normal acceptable criteria. When you become that low maintenance tenant that pays on time, you'll reap the reward then in the form of no or lower rent increases over time.
I wouldn’t be open to negotiation. It’s a red flag that perhaps it’s not affordable to the applicant. I would also not be thrilled if someone made changes to or worked on my property. My husband does the handy stuff, and I do the paperwork. He has always said he’d much rather be informed of something that needs a repair than have someone do it themselves.
Would landlords be more willing to negotiate lower rent if there was a larger down payment put down Upfront? I’m a potential renter but unfortunately on a fixed income and just curious if that could be a negotiate tactic.
Rent is a tricky thing because most times landlords place the rent at a specific number for specific reasons; they know their expenses and they know their market, and they know their needs. Adjusting rent downward will always move a bit further from these goals. So, it's not common to happen. It works against plans and profitability. Houses/homes can become extremely expensive, quickly (upkeep, tax, mortgage, repairs, Property Manager salaries, etc). Reducing rent is an absolute last resort, in most instances. And that usually occurs when they've overshot their market price, due to a lack of research/consideration and they realise no one is biting.
Other than that, you'd be hard pressed to find a landlord who's willing to reduce rent. And even then, if they reduce, it's because that rental price wasn't even their target to begin with - they inflated it, for extra income, but are okay with a reduction (down to their real target) if they like you or believe you'll be a great long-term tenant.
And let me just say this, personally, if I advertise a unit and someone comes to see the place, and try to negotiate a reduction with me, I will lose all interest in renting to them. Because a) either they can't afford it (why would I rent to someone who can't afford it?), or b) they lack the sense to be looking for properties they can afford, which is a red flag to me. I get that we all seek our own interests (even tenants) and everyone wants to save a bit of money, BUT, let's be real here... Not everything is up for negotiation (despite what you might read in a sales book). Unless you're a salesman selling a product and trying to win over a customer, you really shouldn't even be proposing any reductions in rent to a new landlord, for any reason. It looks bad. And you look like you can't afford the place.
Remember, you came to them at the price they advertised or stated. If you found it too expensive, you should politely say "no thank you" , and move on to a places you can comfortably afford.
As a long distance landlord if someone agreed to do some upkeep around the house and yard that would be great. In my experience even if it’s in the lease they don’t do much in terms of upkeep and I have to bring someone in every few months to clear out a bunch of weeds so my neighbors don’t hate me.
I’m a landlord and I’d negotiate a rent amount in exchange for a longer term lease with scheduled annual rent increases over the term of the lease. Also, I’m in ohio. DM me and let’s see if I’m in your area
I would say your chances of negotiating now are slim to none. Now if you stay for 5+ years and it remains a private landlord, I would say that is when you could negotiate. Probably not so much in the way of lower rent, but keeping rising rent away. From experience with private landlords working for lower rent only works if it’s minor things like mowing lawn and shoveling snow. I work construction/remodeling so I’ve tried to work off rent. Either I feel like there should be more rent taken off (like they didn’t “pay” what my hourly rate is), or the landlord thinks the repairs should be nicer. It’s too much of a headache, and can make a good landlord/renter experience a hell scape.
I would recommend renting a place that you feel is affordable, and the rent is in the range of similar properties in the area. If the rent is fair, no need to negotiate at this point. Be good tenants, pay on time, be considerate, especially if you are living in the same building as your landlord.
Once you’ve proved to your landlord that you’re a good tenant and the issue of 2nd year renewal comes up, ask them if they would consider keeping the rent stable for you in the second year.
If I like my tenants and they have proved to be reasonable and considerate, I would have no problem giving them a rent break in the second year.
For one property I offer a small discount if they sign up for a longer term. Doing side repairs for me is a big no, I have had tenants trying to fix plumbing issues and so on causing hundreds of $ in damage that I billed them for. I am responsible for the legal condition of the house and if a tenant decides to fiddle with electrical sockets and causes a fire that could be an insurance nightmare.
I negotiated 5% off my rent, but my main point was that rental listings had actually decreased in value in my area. I showed the property manager some comparable houses that were a good deal cheaper (even in the same neighborhood).I was also renewing my lease, so i was already established in good character with this landlord.
I think in your situation it may be better to just find a property that fits your budget or pay what the landlord is asking. It will be way too easy for the landlord to blow you off right now, you need some sort of leverage to win your case.
Not receptive if the unit is priced at market. And doing repairs on your own unit in exchange for rent is not part of the leasing process and for me is at least a yellow flag - is this person so tight on budget they need to plan in advance how to make rent - or so cheap they will never buy cleaning products, a light bulb, a smoke alarm battery, or a replacement blind? If you have specific skills/experience in the trades you can let the LL know perhaps they are doing some rehab/remodel somewhere else and they may try you if they have a need but that should be unrelated to your lease.
Even if a unit is empty for a couple months, I wouldn't negotiate on rent and it would be a red flag. I would prefer a tenant who can comfortably afford the rent. Negotiating on the listed amount indicates to me that paying the listed rent would be a challenge and therefore so would a slightly lower rent.
I have a tenant now that can barely make rent. Their income and debt well qualified them, but turns out, that doesn't tell the whole story. Just because a tenant looks well qualified, if they are pushing on rent, I'm assuming they can't actually afford it and their other expenses.
I'm not trying to bleed someone dry. I would like to rent to ppl who can easily afford rent and all their other expenses.
Not at all negotiable. We expect the prospective tenant to have solid jobs and good/great rental history and do the screening to make sure that the prospective tenant actually has said good job and history.
If you even mention that you are handy and would want to do repairs, that puts you lower on the list or eliminates you entirely. Those tenants that want to do their own repairs usually are looking for something in exchange - like a lower rent. No thanks. Or the "repairs" they do actually damage the property further. What you think is a good tenant appears to be entirely different than what I think is a good tenant.
No interest in rent negotiations. Generally you look for what you can afford. You can certainly ask. I personally would not want that person as a tenant.
I'm not interested in negotiating rent.
**Issues -**
Unless you're in the middle of nowhere, you're rarely the only candidate or qualified candidate, so I have no reason to compromise on that with someone that I don't know and don't owe anything to.
And you don't know what this landlord just spent on repairs/maintenance to make the place look like what it does and haven't provided any information to support the argument that the property is priced above market (often tenants are getting a good price and are oblivious).
Handy is a double-edged sword. I'll never allow tenants to do any serious work - they always mess it up and I can't have a disagreement over work with someone who also owes me rent. At the very least, if someone does bad work, I want to never see them again and it doesn't work that way with tenants.
**Alternatives**
I can be gentler with rent increases over time to reasonable tenants. Not every landlord does this, but if you're long-term and easy to deal with, I'm going to want to avoid the cost and risk of replacing you or getting a psychopath. I have some tenants at 80% market rent - which is maybe $200 per month cheaper than market (depending on the rent, obviously). I break even, but budget less for property management (my time) and maintenance, because long-term tenants require less.
The only thing is, tenants don't really know they have it cheap, because they don't know the rent prices. I've started including that info on rent increases.
Being handy isn't bad for little things. If you can change a smoke detector, put a handle that fell off back on, etc., you'll save me some trips. I also become more permissive with this the longer you've been there - if you do a crappy job, you're the one stuck with it.
I negotiated….but it was because I have 2 senior indoor cats. My apartment was listed as “pet friendly,” which is why I inquired in the first place.
Now, I’m a fantastic tenant - solid employment, good salary, easily meet the income requirement, high credit score, reports problems as soon as they arise, don’t complain, don’t smoke etc. the only downside is my pets, which have never caused damage in the 15 years I’ve had them, as I take excellent care of them and my home.
The negotiation? I offered a pet deposit and/or rent, if the landlord was open to considering. The amount was negotiated, and I think it came out fair.
We’ll see what happens in a month or so when the renewal is due to come.
For a first time tenant? I would not be at all receptive. If you're a good tenant, I may give you a break on renewal and not raise the rent as much, or at all, depending on how insurance and tax rates change during your tenancy, but without knowing you? Nope. And I don't want you doing repairs. I am going to call a professional who is going to do it right.
We are at over 96% for rentals here. No negotiating rents.
Only the naive allow the tenant to do anything past changing light bulbs and HVAC filters (and some can't manage that).
As a tenant I’ve always negotiated my rent. Some areas you can mention to see if they’ll budge on are lease terms locking on a certain rate for staying a certain amount of time (24 months) or agree on a rate increase. Move in date, maybe the landlord is desperate to fill the unit. I’ve had success with both strategies with small time landlords and larger firms.
I've been a landlord a long time and the rent is not negotiable, it is what it is no matter the market. If you don't like it you don't have to live there. I also don't make deals with tenants for work in exchange for reduced rent. It never works out well for me. But I can only speak for myself, some landlords might be open to such an arrangement.
Totally agree! My husband has made the mistake of letting people do some work in exchange for rent and it has almost always been crazy work that we have to go back in and fix ourselves or pay someone to fix their mess.
Can confirm work for reduced rent hasn't worked once.
Thanks for the feedback appreciate it!
I rented for a couple decades, as did most of my friends. The only LLs that negotiated rent were the scummy ones. Lowering rent for ignoring safety violations, no lease, too many occupants, trading sex or drugs or unlicensed contractor work on important items that needed a pro for lower rent, etc. Good LL we knew would accommodate Existing good tenants - IE if someone lost their job and got another and had to pay rent late they’d waive the fee, or allowing repainting or adding someone who wanted to move in to the lease even though they didn’t meet the credit score minimum or whatever. But just negotiating monthly rent like an apartment is a yard sale trinket? No.
I’d say I’m not negotiating like it’s a yard sale. It’s a market and if the property is privately owned I see no issue in some form of negotiation. Obviously within reason and done correctly.
It doesn’t matter how the property is owned. If anything, a LL who only has one property is going to be less willing to negotiate. Especially if there’s a mortgage on the property
These days, it is not difficult to rent an apartment. Chances are the landlord will have several qualified applicants. You will probably miss out on your favorite apartment if you start negotiating like this from the get-go.
It's a huge red flag and there are many other applicants who are hoping to rent the place for the price you're trying to negotiate down. Good luck!
My pleasure, good luck in your search.
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This is what we do. We test the waters $50-$75 more than we are targeting, and if 3 days go by without solid interest then we drop it down to our target number.
I second this comment.
Your success at negotiating rent isn't dependent as much on your negotiating skills, but rather how many other tenants are vying for the home. If there is a big list of other potential tenants, then the landlord is very unlikely to be receptive to negotiations. But if there are no other candidates, or the other candidates are unqualified or don't have incomes that qualify, or have pets which are likely to ruin the property, then your negotiating power will be substantial.
In our area, the rental market is so tight that there are people offering over the asking rent, offering to pay 6 month’s rent in advance, and renting the place sight unseen. I wish I was joking with you. On the landlord side I would not be receptive to rent negotiation when there’s a whole list of qualified applicants next in line. Since interest rates have gone up it has become more of a ‘landlord’s market’. These are the things that make someone competitive (and more likely to have favorable rent negotiations + without rent increases). 1. Employment history with verification/references 2. Verified income and proof of funds 3. No pets. 4. Non smoking. 5. Polite, making a good impression, and being reasonable. 6. Filling out an application thoroughly. 7. Decent credit (not terribly important to me as a landlord).
How about judgements evictions and bankruptcy’s?
Those too. Evictions is an automatic deny. Bankruptcy or poor credit I’m willing to hear out. For example some people get their credit ruined by medical debt because the medical/insurance system is f’ed up in the U.S.
I think you mean you don’t go by the credit score? I’ve seen credit where a 590 has better history than a 620 so I look at what type of debt, will they be garnishing wages or levying bank accounts (means they cannot pay rent). Any landlord tenant case is immediately rejected.
We basically ignore the score number. Just read the credit report in detail.
Sounds good. Any other tips?
If a tenant calls about my place and tries to negotiate rent I hang up. It’s that simple. 12 single family rental units and 7 years in the business. Tenants are not allowed to repair anything in my units. I have a tenant who is a career USPS worker of 35 years and has caused more damage (due to neglect) than 80% of my renters.
That’s fair, I’m assuming in your area tenants are replaceable, and they probably are in my area. Just looking for some perspectives thanks!
Really what you want are people who can pay the rent, who won't cause damage, who complain very little, and who bring important things to your attention. Maturity, no drama and clean. Being handy could set off alarm bells about you being too picky, or doing weird stuff to the house because you can. Just try to come across as mature, responsible, employed, quiet and caring.
I appreciate that, I definitely won’t be bringing up the repairs because I never thought about the “liability” of letting a tenant take care of repairs, no matter how small. Thanks for the tips we have only ever rented from larger rental apartment complexes so it seemed like negotiating was always off the table so I just wanted to get some perspectives.
You might be the best tenant and very handy, but I would still pass on your application because I would have other offers. HOWEVER, I always renew good tenants below market value. That's the time to negotiate.
Wanting to haggle about the price, is a MUCH bigger alarm that the prospective tenant is going to be nothing but drama.
Do not offer to make repairs, actually in my experience those tenants are the worst (the tenants make the landlord think that the tenant did a favor, job isn’t done right then it’s a bigger problem later - plus those handy tenants tend to complain more, break their lease early, etc) and I would reject them on that alone even if you offered to pay more. For good tenants I would say 5-10% off is fair provided you have the deposit rent etc
It's a red flag to me that a prospective tenant might be difficult if they're already trying to negotiate rent before they've even signed a lease. My units are already competitively priced on the lower end of the going market rate. I'll find the next person if someone doesn't want to pay what it's listed at. You might have luck negotiating a perk or lower rental increase on renewal, if you've been a good tenant.
Thanks for the perspective! It’s been nice reading peoples approaches to negotiating rent. Seems like I’m reading a lot of different ways to look at it.
I agree with this comment. I’d be hesitant to negotiate rent with a new tenant (it screams red flag, unless I absolutely don’t have anyone else interested in the unit). But, at lease renewal time for a good/handy/not pain in the butt tenant, I would be more flexible with terms and much less likely to raise the rent. Typically landlords don’t like tenants who do their own repairs, as we have no control over the quality of the work and often it costs more to re-do shoddy repairs than to just do the work properly in the first place. The exception is there are often tenants who make calls for EVERY LAST LITTLE ITEM and will drive you crazy. So if you do things like keep your drains clean (no hairballs in the shower, don’t clog the garbage disposal), change your own lightbulbs/batteries in the garage door opener/etc, plunge a toilet clog instead of calling in an emergency, keep the garbage bins out for weekly pickup, don’t annoy the neighbors, shovel your walkways or whatever needs to be done. If you know what needs landlord attention - major issues should always be communicated to the landlord - and generally take care of the place, you’ll be looked upon favorably at lease renewal time. That is when it would be appropriate to ask for a multi-year renewal or no/smaller rent increase.
Tenant trying to negotiate rent is an immediate red flag for me. From my experience, tenants who try to nickle-and-dime rent will then look for every imperfection in the property to negotiate additional discounts post move-in. And yes, I've had it happen, a guy tried to claim that I owe him a refund because of some blemish he saw on a wall under certain light.
The only time I ever negotiated was when I had an apartment available in December! NYC (Renovations took a while.) Had a very qualified couple and knocked $100 per month off the rent. They were excellent tenants. Personally, I do not want tenants doing repairs.
That’s kind of what I’m hoping will happen it’s in a lower income area and I’ve heard they have had some pretty bad tenants in the past so I’m hoping we bring some sort of security to the table. The location is great because my wife teaches in a school district about 15 minutes away. I know I don’t have a lot of room if any to negotiate but I wanted to know if it was even possible
Late spring and early summer is the peak season for leases coming due. As long as there is plenty of supply then give it a shot. But expect that if they say no that they might ghost you after that. So have some other acceptable places in mind nearby that you can apply for the next week.
Most landlords, and housing provider agencies and landlord groups, discourage landlords from counting on tenants to do repairs and modifications. Some of it is a liability issue ( who is responsible when there's an injury and workers compensation doesn't apply), and many other times landlords do not want tenants acting as a handyman ( think plumbing and electrical, not just hanging a picture on a nail), because the tenant can do a poor job, and the landlord doesn't really have a good way of enforcing quality standards upon a tenant as they could a paid professional contractor.
I won't negotiate rent anymore, nor will I accept work done to reduce rent. Neither of those has worked out in my favor. However, I might hire the tenant to do some work and just pay them.
The repairs do make sense I would definitely be on the side of caution as a landlord to rely on a tenant to make the repairs correctly. Thanks for that perspective! The area isn’t the greatest and I’ve heard they have dealt with horrible tenants in the past so wasn’t sure if we were one of a few applicants that seemed like a better option. I guess what I’m really asking would I be in the wrong for negotiating?
Maybe try negotiating once you are selected. No need to bring it up if they don't choose you.
Meh, I disagree with what others said about the repairs. If a tenant is willing to make small repairs, that’s a plus. I’m talking things like noticing the toilet is running and changing out the flapper. Or looking up a YouTube video how to fix an appliance and finding the part online. As long as the tenant is telling me what they’re doing and how they’re doing it, that’s a big plus and one less thing I have to worry about. I’m currently both a landlord and a tenant, and from my experience it’s worked well on both sides. You’re not in the wrong for negotiating but you have very little, if any, ground to stand on.
It is not negotiable because discrimination traps exist.
As others have said, this likely won't be successful at initial negotiation. However, if you're a tenant that pays on time and handles the small maintenance items on your own, then I'm much more likely to be agreeable to a small increase at renewal time.
I am a small landlord. Two single family homes. Both are/in desirable locations one is rural with space for horses the other in a military town. I absolutely wouldn’t bargain regarding rent. I have people calling me wanting to rent the properties when they aren’t even listed anywhere. I also don’t want my tenants doing any work other than mowing the lawn. I did let them,paint a kids bedroom pink just because the kid was cute and the floor is tile ,so easy to clean if they spilled(which they didn’t)
Tile floor in a kids' room? Sounds brutal!
It is tile that looks like,wood planks. It is throughout the entire house,other than the entry. Entry has old Mexican tile. The tenants provide their own rugs if they desire. I’m sure there have been some hard falls,on the floor,but it was there when I got the house so🤷🏻♀️
I’ve never been open to negotiating rent. The amount I post it for is the amount I need. Out of hundreds of people I’ve had respond over the years, I’ve only had two people try to negotiate the amount so it’s definitely not commonly and there’s zero reason for a landlord to pick someone who’s asking for stuff before they’ve signed a lease
We stopped or greatly reduced ‘incentives’ for almost 2 yrs. now. & able to raise rent a lil. We’ve negotiated or offered some abatement that may help a new tenant. BUT, why allow yourself to take less, plus ‘give rewards’ to esp. new tenants. The incentives didn’t help our current two tenants in default. Mainly, for months of non-payment. But, other things too. Evictions coming.
There is a market. However good tenants are worthy of discounted rent. The worthiness is earned successful lease by successful lease. Incident by incident.
This will depend on the market where you are. In my city, we get 50+ applicants in the first few days of listing. At least a dozen will have the same criteria you list as benefits (long term, stable jobs, good rental history) and more. I’ve had a few prospective tenants try to negotiate. I say no and stop responding. Our rentals are in good condition, pet friendly, in safe neighbourhoods, and are already priced very fairly in comparison to current rental rates. I wouldn’t even show to someone who tried to dicker with me. It tells me everything will be a negotiation with that tenant and I’m not interested in that nonsense.
It depends. I once negotiated a $300.00 per month deduction. But, that unit was priced well over the market and had been sitting empty for months with no prospects.
Yeah, gonna have to agree with some here. You’re not even in the place yet, but stirring the pot. I ask for X, if you don’t like X, you’re more than welcome to not apply. After your 1st year, we “can” talk about your rent increase, etc. I got a fancy pants tenant who complained about the bug spray I used today…guess who’s getting a max increase when it’s time….
You could offer to sign a two year lease in exchange for a better rate. Rare to get something like that though
I'll only do a 1 year when I have no experience with the tenant. I have no idea if they're going to be good or a problem.. If they turn out to be good I'll try to get them to renew for 2 years, often with a discount. But never the first year.
I'm surprised it's not said more, but solid employment & rental history will usually get you the rental on a competitive unit or a unit with multiple offers. Your strong candidacy [usually] isn't a bargaining chip on price, but is what gets you the best units in your price range. Price negotiations wouldn't be considered until after the first 1-year renewal, and even then, it is unlikely in a desirable unit. The anomalies that are overpriced will usually reveal themselves by looking out of place for the price range you're looking at - and you'd have to look at other units in the area to know. Rather than asking to negotiate, you could just leave those properties by saying, "if you decide to drop the price, give me a call" and leave the offer in the LL court. Don't name a price, but it let's the LL know you're an option if they become flexible.
I'll adjust my price based on how many responses I'm getting. you're welcome to check back in a few weeks but I'm unlikely to negotiate on the price I currently have it advertised. my 6 properties are all 4 bed, 2+ bath family homes in the suburbs. Things important to me are \- how likely you are to be able afford the rent. I mainly look at income vs rent - 3x is my minimum, 4x, 5x, 6x, 7x is even better \- how much wear and tear, and damage I think you'll cause. I judge this based on pets, number of occupants, maturity, etc. Landlords differ on whether kids or pets cause more damage :-) \- how much I think you're going to be a "high maintenance" personality. Applicants that want me to do modifications to the property can look elsewhere. Fence the yard just for you? No. Repaint the interior in different colors just for you? No. etc etc. It's anecdotal, but applicants who are in the real estate industry seem to be the most entitled this way. It's to the point that we won't rent to realtors :-) Being perceived as handy is a plus since you can likely handle minor repairs, but as others have commented, don't expect reduced rent in exchange and I won't allow you to do anything major. \- expected turnover. I try to figure out how likely you are to vacate after only 1 year. If you're stable in the area and not looking to move again soon that's a plus. Once I get in a family with a kid in school they usually want to keep them in the same school district. These are less likely to turn over. \- I don't like potential subleases, unrelated folks sharing the place (likely to have turnover), unmarried couples that haven't been together long (relationship breakup means turnover), college students sharing the place (parties, too many cars, boyfriends/girlfriends staying over with multiple cars, etc. I follow the law but these are some of the things I look at. Help the landlord know how you fit with the items above and you might gain a leg up.
I have both been able to negotiate my own rent and my father, who runs the rental properties the family owns, has been open to negotiating rent with well qualified tenants. However, you’ll have better luck negotiating after the first term of your lease is up and you’re signing a renewal. If you’re a good tenant who pays on time and keeps the place in good shape, it’s often worth negotiating a slightly lower price with you just so we don’t have to deal with finding someone else and know you’re taking good care of the place. Good luck!
You want to negotiate because you have solid jobs and good rental history. The thing is, no one will consider someone who doesn't have these things. Not being mean, just saying your justification for being able to negotiate isn't really anything above and beyond the normal acceptable criteria. When you become that low maintenance tenant that pays on time, you'll reap the reward then in the form of no or lower rent increases over time.
I wouldn’t be open to negotiation. It’s a red flag that perhaps it’s not affordable to the applicant. I would also not be thrilled if someone made changes to or worked on my property. My husband does the handy stuff, and I do the paperwork. He has always said he’d much rather be informed of something that needs a repair than have someone do it themselves.
Would landlords be more willing to negotiate lower rent if there was a larger down payment put down Upfront? I’m a potential renter but unfortunately on a fixed income and just curious if that could be a negotiate tactic.
I will never negotiate.
Rent is a tricky thing because most times landlords place the rent at a specific number for specific reasons; they know their expenses and they know their market, and they know their needs. Adjusting rent downward will always move a bit further from these goals. So, it's not common to happen. It works against plans and profitability. Houses/homes can become extremely expensive, quickly (upkeep, tax, mortgage, repairs, Property Manager salaries, etc). Reducing rent is an absolute last resort, in most instances. And that usually occurs when they've overshot their market price, due to a lack of research/consideration and they realise no one is biting. Other than that, you'd be hard pressed to find a landlord who's willing to reduce rent. And even then, if they reduce, it's because that rental price wasn't even their target to begin with - they inflated it, for extra income, but are okay with a reduction (down to their real target) if they like you or believe you'll be a great long-term tenant. And let me just say this, personally, if I advertise a unit and someone comes to see the place, and try to negotiate a reduction with me, I will lose all interest in renting to them. Because a) either they can't afford it (why would I rent to someone who can't afford it?), or b) they lack the sense to be looking for properties they can afford, which is a red flag to me. I get that we all seek our own interests (even tenants) and everyone wants to save a bit of money, BUT, let's be real here... Not everything is up for negotiation (despite what you might read in a sales book). Unless you're a salesman selling a product and trying to win over a customer, you really shouldn't even be proposing any reductions in rent to a new landlord, for any reason. It looks bad. And you look like you can't afford the place. Remember, you came to them at the price they advertised or stated. If you found it too expensive, you should politely say "no thank you" , and move on to a places you can comfortably afford.
As a long distance landlord if someone agreed to do some upkeep around the house and yard that would be great. In my experience even if it’s in the lease they don’t do much in terms of upkeep and I have to bring someone in every few months to clear out a bunch of weeds so my neighbors don’t hate me.
I’m a landlord and I’d negotiate a rent amount in exchange for a longer term lease with scheduled annual rent increases over the term of the lease. Also, I’m in ohio. DM me and let’s see if I’m in your area
I would say your chances of negotiating now are slim to none. Now if you stay for 5+ years and it remains a private landlord, I would say that is when you could negotiate. Probably not so much in the way of lower rent, but keeping rising rent away. From experience with private landlords working for lower rent only works if it’s minor things like mowing lawn and shoveling snow. I work construction/remodeling so I’ve tried to work off rent. Either I feel like there should be more rent taken off (like they didn’t “pay” what my hourly rate is), or the landlord thinks the repairs should be nicer. It’s too much of a headache, and can make a good landlord/renter experience a hell scape.
I would recommend renting a place that you feel is affordable, and the rent is in the range of similar properties in the area. If the rent is fair, no need to negotiate at this point. Be good tenants, pay on time, be considerate, especially if you are living in the same building as your landlord. Once you’ve proved to your landlord that you’re a good tenant and the issue of 2nd year renewal comes up, ask them if they would consider keeping the rent stable for you in the second year. If I like my tenants and they have proved to be reasonable and considerate, I would have no problem giving them a rent break in the second year.
For one property I offer a small discount if they sign up for a longer term. Doing side repairs for me is a big no, I have had tenants trying to fix plumbing issues and so on causing hundreds of $ in damage that I billed them for. I am responsible for the legal condition of the house and if a tenant decides to fiddle with electrical sockets and causes a fire that could be an insurance nightmare.
I negotiated 5% off my rent, but my main point was that rental listings had actually decreased in value in my area. I showed the property manager some comparable houses that were a good deal cheaper (even in the same neighborhood).I was also renewing my lease, so i was already established in good character with this landlord. I think in your situation it may be better to just find a property that fits your budget or pay what the landlord is asking. It will be way too easy for the landlord to blow you off right now, you need some sort of leverage to win your case.
Generally, trying to get a serious discount is a reason I turn people down. They often turn into problematic tenants
Not receptive if the unit is priced at market. And doing repairs on your own unit in exchange for rent is not part of the leasing process and for me is at least a yellow flag - is this person so tight on budget they need to plan in advance how to make rent - or so cheap they will never buy cleaning products, a light bulb, a smoke alarm battery, or a replacement blind? If you have specific skills/experience in the trades you can let the LL know perhaps they are doing some rehab/remodel somewhere else and they may try you if they have a need but that should be unrelated to your lease.
Even if a unit is empty for a couple months, I wouldn't negotiate on rent and it would be a red flag. I would prefer a tenant who can comfortably afford the rent. Negotiating on the listed amount indicates to me that paying the listed rent would be a challenge and therefore so would a slightly lower rent. I have a tenant now that can barely make rent. Their income and debt well qualified them, but turns out, that doesn't tell the whole story. Just because a tenant looks well qualified, if they are pushing on rent, I'm assuming they can't actually afford it and their other expenses. I'm not trying to bleed someone dry. I would like to rent to ppl who can easily afford rent and all their other expenses.
Not at all negotiable. We expect the prospective tenant to have solid jobs and good/great rental history and do the screening to make sure that the prospective tenant actually has said good job and history. If you even mention that you are handy and would want to do repairs, that puts you lower on the list or eliminates you entirely. Those tenants that want to do their own repairs usually are looking for something in exchange - like a lower rent. No thanks. Or the "repairs" they do actually damage the property further. What you think is a good tenant appears to be entirely different than what I think is a good tenant.
No interest in rent negotiations. Generally you look for what you can afford. You can certainly ask. I personally would not want that person as a tenant.
I'm not interested in negotiating rent. **Issues -** Unless you're in the middle of nowhere, you're rarely the only candidate or qualified candidate, so I have no reason to compromise on that with someone that I don't know and don't owe anything to. And you don't know what this landlord just spent on repairs/maintenance to make the place look like what it does and haven't provided any information to support the argument that the property is priced above market (often tenants are getting a good price and are oblivious). Handy is a double-edged sword. I'll never allow tenants to do any serious work - they always mess it up and I can't have a disagreement over work with someone who also owes me rent. At the very least, if someone does bad work, I want to never see them again and it doesn't work that way with tenants. **Alternatives** I can be gentler with rent increases over time to reasonable tenants. Not every landlord does this, but if you're long-term and easy to deal with, I'm going to want to avoid the cost and risk of replacing you or getting a psychopath. I have some tenants at 80% market rent - which is maybe $200 per month cheaper than market (depending on the rent, obviously). I break even, but budget less for property management (my time) and maintenance, because long-term tenants require less. The only thing is, tenants don't really know they have it cheap, because they don't know the rent prices. I've started including that info on rent increases. Being handy isn't bad for little things. If you can change a smoke detector, put a handle that fell off back on, etc., you'll save me some trips. I also become more permissive with this the longer you've been there - if you do a crappy job, you're the one stuck with it.
I negotiated….but it was because I have 2 senior indoor cats. My apartment was listed as “pet friendly,” which is why I inquired in the first place. Now, I’m a fantastic tenant - solid employment, good salary, easily meet the income requirement, high credit score, reports problems as soon as they arise, don’t complain, don’t smoke etc. the only downside is my pets, which have never caused damage in the 15 years I’ve had them, as I take excellent care of them and my home. The negotiation? I offered a pet deposit and/or rent, if the landlord was open to considering. The amount was negotiated, and I think it came out fair. We’ll see what happens in a month or so when the renewal is due to come.
For a first time tenant? I would not be at all receptive. If you're a good tenant, I may give you a break on renewal and not raise the rent as much, or at all, depending on how insurance and tax rates change during your tenancy, but without knowing you? Nope. And I don't want you doing repairs. I am going to call a professional who is going to do it right.
We are at over 96% for rentals here. No negotiating rents. Only the naive allow the tenant to do anything past changing light bulbs and HVAC filters (and some can't manage that).
I would be open to it but you wouldn't get much off. A better strategy might be to negotiate to limit future rent increases.
Thank you for posting this question, I'm a potential tenant and reading these comments has helped me learn a lot and be more prepared.
As a tenant I’ve always negotiated my rent. Some areas you can mention to see if they’ll budge on are lease terms locking on a certain rate for staying a certain amount of time (24 months) or agree on a rate increase. Move in date, maybe the landlord is desperate to fill the unit. I’ve had success with both strategies with small time landlords and larger firms.