In some cities, there are countless agencies dedicated to matching people with the perfect rental property. Denver is not one of those cities. At LIVE Urban, we are lucky enough to have a storefront office on a popular walkable street in one of the most desirable neighborhoods in the Denver metro area.
We have property information available in the window, and there is always an agent working the front desk - so whether you come to our office ready to put your Highland house on the market, if you just want to get some information about what your home might be worth, or if you are ready to start searching for your perfect place in the 'hood, you are in the right place - just look for the big green dog out front and come on in.
BUT, if you are looking for a rental property, you might be disappointed. We don't have access to a super-secret, up-to-date list of available homes for rent. We also don't have anyone that we can refer you to who has access to this list. Because this list, unfortunately, does not exist. Every once in a while someone will come in and ask us to hang up a flier advertising a nearby house for rent, and we will happily do so.
And some of us own rental properties that have vacancies every so often, but to be honest these rent really quickly and we don't really even advertise them - we just spread the word that we have a property available to rent, and usually someone knows someone who is in need of a rental.There have been some local companies in the past that tried to help folks find a place to rent, but they tend to close shop rather quickly - I think it's because the profit potential was probably fairly low. After all, how much would you be willing to pay someone to surf Craigslist for you?
Probably not a whole heck of a lot. There are also some Realtors that will help you find a place to lease - but only at a certain bottom rent rate that tends to start around $3,000/month, and usually furnished corporate rentals.So what is someone that is relocating to our fine city, or simply at the end of a lease and searching for new digs, supposed to do?
Unfortunately, this is kind of a hypothetical question, because I don't have a good answer. When people ask me, I usually tell them to drive or walk around the neighborhood they want to live in and look for For Rent signs, because properties in NW Denver sometimes aren't even listed online because they are snapped up so quickly.And then, of course I ask them why they are looking to rent instead of looking to buy.
I do this for a couple of reasons. First, it's pretty much my job. But also, I honestly believe in the value of home ownership. As a recovered renter, I know how good it feels to move your stuff into your own place - to paint the walls whatever color you want - to dig in the dirt and plant flowers that will come up year after year - and to invest in something that will reward you in the future.
Some people have good reasons for not wanting to buy, and that's OK. But I think that other people are just scared of what they see as a huge commitment, or they mistakenly think that they would not be able to qualify for a loan to buy a house.
My friend Scott Mulvany of Cherry Creek Mortgage sent me a link to a great video this afternoon, which is what got me thinking about all of this.
Here's a link:Why Renters Don't Buy
I just hate to see people pass up an opportunity to achieve a big goal like home ownership without a really valid reason. It only takes a good lender a couple of minutes to determine if you would be able to qualify for a mortgage, so why not check it out?
And when you are ready to start looking for that perfect place, let me know - I can't wait to help you with your home search.
Call/Text Stacie @ 720-299-6635
Email Stacie @ stacie@liveurbandenver.com
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