Friday, June 13, 2008

Relationship with Broker and Information on Broker Fee

If you plan on using an apartment broker, make sure the broker remembers that you are the one who's paying for brokers services, not the landlord. In order to even see an apartment, you must go through a broker, who will show you around and answer your questions. You do not deal directly with the landlord until you sign the lease. Apartment brokers have divided interests between serving the landlord, the tenant and themselves. The landlord looks forward for a responsible tenant for rent and that is as high as possible without driving tenants away. You, planned for apartment rent st louis, desire a decent apartment at a rent that is as low as possible. The broker works to get paid as soon as possible and as much as possible. Thus, the broker must find a tenant quickly, who's willing to pay for higher rent apartments.

Add to that the fact that brokers work with landlords over a long period of time and only work with the tenant until the lease is signed. Maintaining a strong relationship with the landlord is important to brokers. All of this means that if you're not assertive, brokers may focus their attention on other tenants, show you apartments that are just slightly higher than your maximum rent or pressure you into signing the lease by giving an apartment more credit than it deserves.

Brokers Fees
If you live in large cities, you may see apartments listed as fee, low-fee, or no-fee apartments. And when you do, you must pay the broker a “finder’s fee.”
  • Fee: These apartments are shown by brokers who charge a traditional fee amount, which you pay only if you sign the lease and which can range from an equivalent of one month’s rent all the way up to 15% of the yearly rent.
  • Low-Fee: Low-fee apartments are shown by brokers who charge a fee lower than the traditional broker’s rate. This fee is paid by you upon the signing of the lease.
  • No Fee: Some apartments in houston or Austin require any finder’s fee, either because you deal directly with the landlord or, more commonly, because the management company pays the broker’s fee. So, technically, there is a fee involved, but you do not have to pay it.

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Barbados real estate

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