What To Do Before You Sign A Lease

Most apartment managers are great people who truly care about both their residents and the quality of their properties. However, you as a prospective tenant would be remiss to hastily sign a lease. There are too many horror stories about new tenants who overlooked a huge flaw, and then paid the price soon after moving in.

At Ameritex Movers, we want you to be well-informed before you sign the dotted line and start paying rent. Read on to find the most important things to do before you sign a lease.

What Should I Do Before Deciding to Lease?

Before you sign a lease, ask questions.

Inspect the apartment unit itself, if possible. Carefully document any pre-existing damage and snap pictures where you can.

Find out what your apartment includes.

Most Houston apartments don’t come with extras like paid utilities, but it never hurts to ask. Sometimes you’ll get perks like parking passes and valet trash pickup.

Make sure your pets are welcome.

Ask about specific breeds and weight limits. Some management companies will approve a dog with training certification, like the American Kennel Club’s Canine Good Citizen program.

Be aware of management’s policy on upgrades.

Are you planning to paint or add custom finishes? Some complexes don’t allow it, period. Others don’t mind if you paint walls, as long as you paint them back before you move out. Still others are more lenient, but require a heads-up so they have the final approval.

Find out if your lease automatically renews.

If it doesn’t, you could essentially be kicked out after the lease is up. While you’re at it, ask what happens if you need to break the lease. Will you be responsible for the rest of the money you owe? Will you have to pay back any discounts? Can you sublet your apartment?

Get documentation of everything and go over it thoroughly.

If management made any exceptions for you, make sure you get them in writing. Take your time and read every word of the contract. Ask for clarification if you come across anything you don’t understand.

If you doubt the transparency of your prospective landlord at any time, you should look elsewhere. Last but not least, listen to your gut when you’re in the middle of negotiations. If something seems off, it probably is.

Once you’re satisfied that your contract is honest and legally correct, you’ll be able to sign with confidence.

Are You Ready to Sign Your New Lease?

Now that you know everything to do before you sign a lease, Ameritex can help you move once you’ve signed. Our apartment moving specialists have first-hand knowledge of all the areas in and around Houston. In addition to the usual moving services, we’re also proud to offer our customers full-service moves. Let us handle everything from start to finish. You’re sure to have a stress-free, unforgettable moving experience.

we are adopting hi-way locations in texas

We are a local Houston moving company that was born in the living room of a college apartment. We love serving the Houston community because we are proud to be a part of it. That dedication shows — our team has completed over 100,000 moves with a 95% word-of-mouth referral rate. On top of that, we were named one of the 100 fastest-growing companies in the Houston area two years in a row.