When selecting the perfect rental, you might like to focus
on the things you wish you could change about the property. These can include
busy streets or unattractive interior features. Fortunately, some home features
that seem like pitfalls may actually be huge plusses. Here are three rental
house features that are surprisingly helpful.
1. Fixed-Term Leases
Every rental agreement is a little different. Your landlord
may require a one-way lease, which is technically a month-to-month contract,
with penalties if you decide to move out early, or a fixed-term lease, which
requires that you live in the space for a particular amount of time, regardless
of how your life may change while you are there.
While many people are nervous about renting a place with a
fixed-term lease, these strict contracts may act as huge bonuses for you, since
you may think more critically about the apartment before moving in. Instead of
moving in without a careful evaluation of the property, you might realize that
a fixed-lease contract demands that you carefully examine your life, think
about that commute, and evaluate your monthly budget.
Fixed-term contracts offer another powerful bonus: the fact
that you know you will have a place to stay. With month-to-month contracts, the
agreement works both ways. While you can decide to move out anytime, your
landlord can also give you notice that your lease is up at any time, and let
you know that you have a month to move out. On the other hand, fixed-term
contracts can give you the peace of mind you need to worry less about housing.
2. Wood-Burning Fireplaces
That outdated wood-burning fireplace might seem retro and
take up some floor space, but it could hold the key to saving money on power
this winter. Wood-burning fireplaces, while once considered outdated and bulky,
have now come back in style due to their incredible functionality.
In addition to generating ample amounts of heat by burning
logs inside a special stove, some wood-burning fireplaces also have spots on
top of the unit you can use to boil water or cook food during an emergency like
a natural disaster.
Furthermore, modern wood-burning stoves are more efficient
than ever before, producing a lot less smoke. For instance, while older
wood-burning stoves produced as much as 30
grams of smoke for every hour they were in operation, newer stoves
make as little as 4.5 grams per hour, which helps your home to stay cleaner.
Lastly, wood-burning stoves can help you to create a warm
and memorable ambiance inside your house during the winter season. While others
are stuck with traditional forced-air furnaces, you can cozy up with your
friends next to a real fire to toast marshmallows, drink a glass of wine, or
kick back and relax while your home is heated naturally.
3. Busy Location
Sometimes when people tour rentals in busy parts of town,
they worry about things like street noise, traffic, and poor access to parking.
However, a home situated right in the center of town could be the answer to
your shopping and travel woes.
Since businesses, restaurants, public transit stops, and
grocery stores may be close, you might even be able to ditch the vehicle and
transition to walking. Additionally, you will be closer to great activities and
city events, helping you to really become a part of your community.
Choosing an excellent rental property starts by working with
an experienced real estate team, so give us a call today. Here at Montgomery Realtors, we
have helped home and apartment hunters to find their perfect slice of
home-based heaven for more than 60 years. With an impressive portfolio of
rental properties and apartments, we can help you narrow down your options and
choose a great place today.