What questions do I need to ask before renting from an owner.

[Schminston-Mo]

I'm sure this information is somewhere in these very helpful boards, but I was having trouble finding it on search. (This is the point where all experienced Disers are entitled to one eyeroll at my expense! )

It is my first time renting a condo/townhome. I have sent an request with my dates to Windsor Hills and received a number of responses from owners. I am beginning to narrow down my choices.

Is there a checklist of questions I should be asking to help me decide?

Thanks.

 

[5mins2disney]

I'm sure this information is somewhere in these very helpful boards, but I was having trouble finding it on search. (This is the point where all experienced Disers are entitled to one eyeroll at my expense! )

It is my first time renting a condo/townhome. I have sent an request with my dates to Windsor Hills and received a number of responses from owners. I am beginning to narrow down my choices.

Is there a checklist of questions I should be asking to help me decide?

Thanks.

Well it's mostly going to come down to what you're looking for in a home.

Amenities like:
internet
premium mattresses / beds / linens
TVs
Electronics / TVs
Video games for the kids
pool / no pool?
free phone calls
who is their MC? Do they have a local MC...and are they good?
quality of the home / furnishings?
Pictures of the home?
Price?

There IS variation from home-home in terms of quality, and you also tend to get what you pay for. The question is...what's important to you? What are you looking for in a vacation home? My DW is very picky about the decorating for instance, and wouldn't stay in a basic / low end furnished home. Amenities like awesome mattresses matter to us as well, we love to sleep in a super comfy bed! (We went on a ski vacation over New Year's and had the exact opposite, just awful when you're tired after skiing all day!).

Some on the DIS will tell you they found what looked to be an absolute bargain (not necessarily in WHR), but the home was not as well equipped as they would have liked when they arrived. Just something to consider.

Wish I could give you more criteria than that, but it's very much an individual decision. I can tell you I've been in dozens and dozens of townhomes in WHR and homes as well (with realtors, looking to buy), and there's some that I would consider to have premium furniture and amenities, and some are much more basic. I would be looking for a premium place personally, the price difference isn't all that much, if we were to buy another place (we're considering it) and it had basic furniture, we would rip it all out and start over, but that's just us!

A pool is also very important to us, we use our own private pool more than the clubhouse, it's just so convenient, the kids can swim any time they like without us having to all traipse over to the clubhouse. Location isn't as much of a factor for us...if we're 1/2 block or 2 blocks to the clubhouse...same difference..we still have to move ourselves over there, as opposed to going in the back yard.

 

[bscs]

We just booked a condo at Windsor Hills yesterday. (Won't be official till they get our check in a day or 2)
Our main concerns are always:
how many bed rooms, what size beds, what floor?
Then there are the other things like:
How much will it cost? what is the deposite fee, is there a cleaning fee, what are the cancellation policy if something comes up? Oh and some places charge extra if you put it on your cridit card so ask, it may be like us and better to send a check.

When are you going?
We are the opposite of procrastinaters we booked for Feb of 2008 already

Remember me (bscs)
and let me know how it was assuming you go 1st.

 

[Mainebound]

I'm sure this information is somewhere in these very helpful boards, but I was having trouble finding it on search. (This is the point where all experienced Disers are entitled to one eyeroll at my expense! )

It is my first time renting a condo/townhome. I have sent an request with my dates to Windsor Hills and received a number of responses from owners. I am beginning to narrow down my choices.

Is there a checklist of questions I should be asking to help me decide?

Thanks.

I would ask how you acquire the keys to the home. Once we had to go to the management company (which was not convenient to the home from the airport) to get the house lockbox code prior to going to the home. Because we arrived late in the evening, the MC was closed, and we had to use a special code to get into a safe at the MC office. We had trouble with it, and had to phone the management company and wait in a deserted parking lot with sleepy weepy children for a return call at 11:00pm.

But YMMV -- it may not be a big deal at all if you arrive during business hours, and if the rental agency (MC) is not off the beaten path.

 

[Schminston-Mo]

Thank you for the replies. From what I'm reading, it looks like I'm on the right track on how I am reviewing the offers. I just wanted to make sure there weren't any "You didn't ask_____ ?! Well, Duh!" questions I was missing.

 

[isla bonita]

After reading thru the lists above make your own list of whats priority for your group.

When you have the short list talk directly with each owner. You will get a lot of info about the home just by talking. Ask on the DIs if thre is anyone who has rented the home before you.

Just remember there is never to much information. Have all you questions answered to the fullest.

 

[FLParadisevilla]

I think the list you got from the others is a good list to have. I would rather someone ask me tons of questions before they rent our home. It can be kind of confusing too what to ask etc.

"I would ask how you acquire the keys to the home. Once we had to go to the management company (which was not convenient to the home from the airport) to get the house lockbox code prior to going to the home. Because we arrived late in the evening, the MC was closed, and we had to use a special code to get into a safe at the MC office. We had trouble with it, and had to phone the management company and wait in a deserted parking lot with sleepy weepy children for a return call at 11:00pm."
Manebound that is horriable about the process to pick up the keys! How inconvient!