7 Ways to Legally Cheat a Leasing Office
The post-pandemic housing market has made finding a home difficult for both homebuyers and renters. Many Americans are moving due to new jobs, layoffs, evictions, or the desire to start anew. The eviction moratorium has ended in many states and legislators are pushing to ensure tenants nationwide have access to rental assistance. For the property management industry, the long-term effects of non-paying tenants during the pandemic have resulted in record-breaking losses. We are now faced with a tight rental market with a low inventory and never-ending rent increases. Renters have reported receiving renewal letters with inflated rental prices and lengthy application procedures that have made finding a new home both financially and mentally exhausting.
These tips are based on my experiences working as a leasing agent in my early twenties. It is not meant to bash leasing professionals nor is it to encourage illegal behavior. I seek to empower renters by arming them with strategies to disarm leasing agents. I learned different sales techniques and strategies to motivate renters to apply as soon as possible. My entire persona was used as a weapon to entice renters from the flowery words I used down to the outfit I wore. Although I used my powers for good and delighted in helping people, I did notice that not all my colleagues felt the same. Unfortunately, I witnessed some sketchy behaviors that I want to help you avoid by using the tactics below.
Fib about your move-in date
Leasing agents do receive a salary; however, most property management companies give them bonuses for each apartment they sell. They receive those bonuses the month after the applicant moves in; as a result, many leasing agents have tunnel vision and give better service to applicants looking to move soon. There are different ways they can determine how soon you are looking to move. They may ask you targeted questions such as: “When are you looking to move?” or “Have you put in a 30 or 60-day notice yet?”. The best way to counter these questions is to lie and state that you are on a month-to-month lease. Act calm and state that you are looking to move soon or within 30 days. Now you don’t want to lie on your actual application as that would be a crime. However, there’s no harm in implying that you’d be willing to move a little sooner than you need to. If you were actually looking to move soon then the tactics in this article are definitely the key to getting the most information.
2. Don’t reveal your budget
In order to keep yourself from wasting gas on communities too expensive or bottom of the barrel, you should definitely check out each communities’ website to get a general idea of the pricing beforehand. This way you already know most of the apartments are within your budget before you arrive. Just like you wouldn’t give away your salary during pay negotiations for a new job you do not want to give away your budget too soon. If a leasing agent knows you can afford the most expensive apartment and there’s a higher commission attached you may not hear about a more affordable one with similar amenities.
3. Keep your reason for moving a secret
Always keep your reason for moving a secret unless it’s due to getting a new job or downsizing. Never speak negatively about your current living situation, because you want to maintain the impression that you are a positive person looking for a place to live. Applicants that overshare their horror stories of having roaches or suing the previous property management company give staff bad vibes. I worked at a property where many of the staff lived on the property. Consequently, there were several co-workers who kept close tabs on the leasing agents that leased apartments in their building. They would pop in after the application was submitted to get details on the applicants and if that person was on section 8 or left a bad impression that person would warn the agent not to select them. Now is this legal? Of course not, but it does happen and many times the leasing staff do privately discriminate against applicants. The sad thing is that no one ever found out as the leasing agents in question always kept a bright smile on their face and always had a scripted excuse as to why the applicant didn’t make the cut. It’s easier to get bad news from someone who has treated you kindly right?
4. Ask about promotions and discounts
Ask about career-based rental discounts, because depending on your job or that of your spouse/roommate you may be eligible for a discount on rent. I have heard of discounts for students, teachers, police officers, and military personnel. Be sure to call ahead and ask about open house dates which typically result in waived application fees for anyone who applies. Sometimes the leasing agent who answers your call isn’t scheduled to work so they may not be incentivized to mention it. If you can, wait and visit on that date since the discounts typically only apply to your initial visit.
5. Ask about application deal-breakers
If you know your credit score isn’t the highest this next tip will definitely save you money on application fees. Although no leasing agent can approve you prior to applying, applicants with major credit blunders should investigate application deal-breakers beforehand. Each property management company has its own policy for handling applicants with low credit, bankruptcies, and evictions. When speaking to office staff don’t make the conversation about you, but instead, focus on understanding the office’s approval policies. For instance, while bankruptcy can scare away private landlords many property management companies will approve someone with legal documentation that their debts have been discharged. Each company has its own waiting period post-bankruptcy and some communities will accept you within two years of the original filing. If you want to start the credit repair process many leasing agents can tell you which credit bureau they pull when checking your score. Since credit reports from different credit bureaus can show different information you can focus your efforts on raising one of your fico scores instead of all three.
6. Dress in your finest clothes
First impressions are everything as many of you already know. Who hasn’t had that rare day on the weekend when you decided to “dress-up” a little more than usual and noticed your treatment at local shops varied. I know I have. The unfortunate reality of business is that people do judge you based on what you wear regardless of what’s inside. I’m not telling you to be something you aren’t, but I do believe in image control in specific situations. You do not have to wear a ball gown or a suit, but making your appearance seem a bit sharper and crisp can make a difference. Just like you wouldn’t want to live in a community that’s run down or poorly maintained there are properties that want to create a certain ambiance and attract residents that want to take care of themselves. You deserve to be served by leasing staff who will work hard to continuously improve both your apartment and the overall community. I have seen communities littered with trash and pet feces due to a lack of groundskeepers. Trust me, you don’t want to live there. I have turned my car around when entering communities like this and canceled applications for “affordable” apartments where the building doors are broken and trash is piled up in the parking lot.
7. Buy an Emotional Support Animal (ESA)
This little trick is the bane of many property managers’ existence. Many apartment complexes have strict pet policies that cover your pet’s breed and size. Some breeds like Pitbulls and Rottweilers are banned from being housed in apartments in various parts of my state. If you are a pet lover with a pet on a restricted breeding list there’s one legal way you can still bring your pet without violating the rules. An emotional support animal (ESA) can be defined as an animal that assists people with mental health concerns. Although they are not classified as service animals, emotional support animals legally do not count as pets and are exempt from pet fees. Note: This may not be the case in all states. Be sure to check both your local and state laws to confirm your rights. In my area, leasing offices are not allowed to deny emotional support animals regardless of breed and residents commonly use this to board pets that would otherwise be prohibited.
These are a few tricks I learned during my years working in a leasing office. Hopefully, these tips will make your search less stressful and have left you feeling empowered as a renter.
2022
