So I was looking for a vacation rental in florida for a few months. The lady had her ad on craigslist and said she was looking to rent anywhere 1 - 3 months. So we set up a time and went to check out the place. Half way through showing the place , she says she is finding it hard to rent because she is looking for atleast 4 months, and the realtor will bring in customers to see the place at any time they want. She went on to tell that they will call you first but in case they cant reach you they will still come and show the place as they have a key to the place. She went on a little more about how realtors can come anytime until it gets rented for longer term. I have a little toddler, so I asked her what if it's at a time that doesn't work for us at all. I had a lot of reasons to give but I said for ex if we have guests. And she says doesn't matter if you are having a party or if it's in the middle of the night, if the customer wants to the place they will come no matter what.The customer comes first. At this point, her husband who was in a different room come in and said it wont be that bad. They will definitely call first and for that she says, no the don't. I was here at home and they came anyways or something like that.All she wanted to put across was you people mean nothing to M., whoever will come long term are more important. We hadn't even said yes to the place, it was nice but nothing great.Not a beach front property. I wanted to tell her it would have been nice if you mentioned this over the phone, would have saved us a trip here. I wouldn't want to be in a place where people can walk in anytime. Oh my husband asked what if we have our things lying around, and she said we have lot of cupboards for us to put everything inside. I wasn't even sure why she was open to rent it for us, she could have said no over the phone. If it were you, would you rent this place? I just told her it wont work for us, thanks for being upfront and left.
Are the realtors really like that? Will they go to any end to rent a place even with people in the house? Really a showing even in the middle of the night? I don't know what it was but the behaviour seemed very strange to M.. I am very new to this part of USA. Thanks for listening!
Actually landlords do not have the 'right' to enter ANYTIME they want. They do have to notify you and before they enter the house!
I second www.vrbo.com instead of Craigslist. Have used the site for a few vacations and have been very happy. Many properties also have reviews.
And NO, I would not rent from that crazy lady.
ROFL... No wonder she's "having problems" renting it. She's an idiot.
1) if she wants a 6mo lease (which is 4mo or more only) she needs to stop bloody listing it as a 1-3mo. People like you who are looking short term will respond, and people looking long term won't.
2) As the OWNER, sure, she says "yes" to every "look see". That is NOT the same standard applied to those renting. I mean, you CAN try and find someone to "stage rent", and there are lots of people who do because it's DIRT CHEAP (half or less regular rent)... But trying to rent at full price as a vacation rental and demanding staging rental accommodations, is just ludicrous.
3) No. I would not have rented from her. She's a dingbat. And bullet dodged in having to deal with her.
Nope, not professional. Don't look on craiglist. I feel you will get stuff like this more often then not. Look into www.vrbo.com or www.homeaway.com
I'm guessing that after meeting you, she developed some dislike for you and she was trying to scare you off. The husband obviously didn't pick up on whatever she found so offensive. Maybe you didn't drive the right kind of car, or had a piercing or tattoo that freaked her out, or the fact that your toddler was really a toddler freaked her out, or maybe your clothes didn't match! She sounds like a complete loon, regardless. And no, realtors will not just pop in. They always give a warning so you can vacate and try to make the place neat & clean so it will show well. I'd look for another place.
We own a rental property. Not a vacation house. We do have the "right" to come at any time. We don't usually do that, because we try to have common courtesy for the tenants. We always try to give a few days notice and not bombard them. We usually forewarn people looking at the house, that the current renters are moving/packing and things may not be in perfect order. Generally, it's not a big deal. BUT..we did have one tenant who was completely unwilling to work with us. She just refused any and all times we tried to set up. With that particular person, we did have to use our landlord rights and just show the property. BUt that is the ONLY time we have had to do that. ANd even then she got a call telling her when we were coming.
I imagine she just wants you to understand that potential renters may be coming over. And the in the middle of the night comment is a bit ridiculous..what kinds of realtor works the night shift? I think she is just playing devils advocate, so you don't have any surprises when/ if you move in.
So it's not really fair to you. And it doesn't sound like much of relaxing vacation if the place is being shown all the time. And if she was as surly as it sounds, I think I'd pass on the rental. Most legitimate, real landlords I know stay far away from craigslist.
I've never had a realtor do anything like that. They always call to schedule a time to show it. It sounds like the lady just didn't want to rent to you and was trying to scare you off.
Use a Realtor, not Craigslist.
That woman sounds like a nutball. Good grief. I'm sure it's not illegal but it sure is STUPID business. She's an idiot and I can't see her renting it out at all to anyone unless she forgets to tell them that they are going to be dropped in on, and boy oh boy, that would sure piss M. off if it happened!
No Realtors are not like that-at least not where I live. When you rent-you are the client-other people may be customers-but scheduling tours revolves around your schedule-not the agents or their clients. Tours are generally done during business hours-but if you told an agent you would be out of the unit from 6-8 P.M. for dinner-then it could be shown during that time. Many showings are by appointment only-they must call first-especially if the property is occupied by an owner or renter.
Sounds like you need to check out other rentals that would work better for you and YOUR schedule :)
If she wants to rent it for a longer term, then she's not looking out for the person renting right then. I think she's just being greedy. Even if you are a short-term rental, you still have rights, like 24 hr notice. I don't use Craigslist but if she's misrepresenting the property in the ad, I'd tell them about it. I would NOT rent a place where I didn't feel the owner respected my family and money. I don't think a Realtor would show in the middle of the night, but they will show if people are around if that's the schedule. Friend got very little notice sometimes when she was selling her home. I think you were right to not rent from her. I think she's finding it hard to rent because, like you, people get there and realize her ad is not the whole picture. She either needs to rent it out through a realtor or rent it herself and not try to do both at the same time. It's a turnoff and rightly so.
Did you know that companies like Century21 and Long and Foster will rent vacation properties? We use Long and Foster when we go to the lake. Usually it's for 1 week at a time, but I know it can also be longer. Look into something like that instead.
I don't CARE about what she wants... Vacation properties are expensive and you are PAYING to be able to use it at your own convenience... You shouldn't have to worry about someone coming by that you don't even know... It's your right to put the toddler down for a nap, or have guests over without worrying that someone you don't know might show up. It's your right to be able to leave your things where you want them, instead of making sure everything is neat and tidy in case someone shows up...
I would be PISSED, and I would NOT rent the place. If you actually rent it then YOU are the customer, and you should come first... NOT the potential customer.
If they want people to see it, they should set up an online tour option... Showing it in person should happen with at least 24 hr advance notice to the person currently renting, and WITH their permission. (Should be... I get that isn't the case, but I'm not going to pay for a place where my privacy won't be respected...)
There is no way I would rent under those circumstances. I can't imagine she will find anyone willing to put up with that!
No, I would not. I might even change the lock while I was there just to keep the people out. If you are renting a place it is legally "yours" to live in while the lease is in effect. They do have restrictions of course like if smoke is coming out of a window or some other sort of service thing like spraying for insects but all in all it is your living space until the lease is up.
rent it.
of course theyll call. sorry for no caps, holding new baby in left arm.
nobodys coming in the middle of the night. theyll call, itll be slightly inconvenient for ypu to get in the car and hang out at the mall for an hour or two, but you're getting it at a good price, and that's the trade off.
They're telling you, so that you hopefully keep the place looking tidy while you stay. Put the dirty dishes in the sink at leaSt. make your bed - and take a hike if you can if a realtor calls. no biggie. :)
sounds like she had an attitude towards the realtor, had a bad experience or something. and it definitely sounds like she wasn't too interested in renting to you.
first off realtors are humans. it's not likely they would show up with a client in the middle of the night knowing someone was staying there - who would even demand that?
this lady sounds weird and not at all interested in showcasing her home - or at the very least, like you mentioned, not interested in doing the 1-3 month thing. what a wasted trip, sorry!
