Pets make our lives more enjoyable and most of us would be lost without them. In addition to providing great company, owning a dog or cat can enhance your living space and make a house truly a home. However, finding apartments or houses for rent that accept pets can be challenging. Here are some tips that will help you to find a pet-friendly apartment:
Offer to Pay Pet Rental Deposit
Most landlords worry about the damage that pets can inflict on their property. Once you understand this, you will be able to see things from their point of view. After all, an apartment is the landlord’s hard-earned investment and he would like to keep it intact.
You can alleviate the landlord’s fears by offering to pay a pet rental deposit (this is usually a requirement in properties that do allow pets). To make the property owner even more likely to rent to you, consider buying the appropriate insurance policy to cover any damage that your pet might cause. Such insurance policies are not expensive and they can help you to secure an apartment faster, as they give potential landlords peace of mind.
Size Matters
If you do not already have a pet, you should know that size matters when choosing one. Some apartment complexes have pet policies that allow dogs that are up to a certain weight. For most apartments, this recommended weight falls between 20 and 50 pounds.
Therefore, if you own a tiny dog such as a Chihuahua, you are in the clear. Such policies might seem discriminatory but they also look out for the pets. For instance, a large St. Bernard dog will not feel comfortable in a tiny 400-square foot house. When looking at apartments online, you should check whether they have a pet policy in place.
Make a Good First Impression
If you have a well-behaved, happy and healthy pet, the landlord will be more likely to rent the apartment to you. Bringing your well-behaved pet to the open house can be a great way to introduce it to the landlord. You never know, he might end up falling in love with your pet and change his mind about allowing it to stay.
You can also show your potential landlord pictures of your current home and dog, especially if they show that your residence is in good condition. The landlord’s mind will be at ease when he sees that your current home is undamaged.
Choose a Good Location
Even if you have found a nice pet-friendly apartment that is only several blocks away from your workplace, you still need to ensure that it is the best location for your pet. Make sure that you conduct some research about the location to find out if there are dog parks nearby. Are there animal day care centers where you can drop off your pet before going to work? Landlords may be more amenable to renting to you and your pet if they know your dog will be occupied at doggie day care while you’re at work.
If you are not in a hurry to find an apartment, you can keep searching for apartments that provide pet-friendly services such as training and grooming. If you can afford such an apartment, this is a good option since your pets will be treated like royalty.
Buy More Time
Do you have only a few days to find a place to live? You should consider asking your current landlord to extend your lease by a few weeks until you find the right apartment for you and your pet. If he agrees to extend it, you will have more time to find the best place.
Conclusion
The whole process of moving with your pet can be stressful. To find the right apartment, you should offer to pay pet rental deposit, buy more time, choose a smaller dog, make a good impression, and choose a good location.
Thinking about moving to Denver? Check out some of the great neighborhoods in the Mile High City and contact us here at Usaj Realty if you have any questions about renting or buying.
This blog was written by Ashley Lipman of Outreach Mama, a source for the link building, content creation and blog outreach on the web.
