Relocating to rent in Seattle

Because much of my business revolves around relocation I help people rent a home before they buy.  (Some never buy and that’s fine with me, too.)

I assisted a young family who transferred from Europe to Seattle with Amazon.com. We found a home on Seattle’s Eastside. The location is perfect: walking distance to a Park & Ride for an easy commute via I-90 across Lake Washington. The neighborhood, close to Lake Washington,  is quiet with plenty of parks and playgrounds  – just what a mother of a three-year-old would want.

When we started our collaborative search via the Web, the young family had their eyes set on Seattle neighborhoods,  specifically the Queen Anne and Green Lake areas.  As it turned out the two most attractive homes we saw after their arrival were one in the Wallingford neighborhood and one in Queen Anne – the latter chiefly because of a wonderful view of the city.  But there were drawbacks with all these homes:  too far to walk to everyday conveniences, restrictive parking, and heavy local traffic.

What these newcomers to Seattle liked were trees, parks, and open spaces. That’s what they liked about the Seattle Eastside neighborhoods. Not having a car initially and intending to buy just one car, the proximity to public transport was critical. Surprisingly, some best eastside neighborhoods offered greater convenience than some of the Seattle locations. Finally, the quality of pre-school facilities made the South Bellevue home nearly ideal.

Because executing a lease can be done fairly quickly I educated my clients about the Washington State landlord-tenant law at the outset.  Early on in the process, I gave them a standard lease to review. That way, they were familiar before the time came to fill out the actual lease agreement.

Relocating is stressful, so finding the right rental home is crucial.  Relocating to rent can be a valuable experience – pretending to be a homeowner before actually becoming one. This is where my own experience in relocating is especially useful.

Relocating to rent is not easier than buying.

To the uninitiated, the process of renting a home would appear to be simple. After all, there is no financing, no title issues, no escrow.  In fact, an inexperienced single-family home landlord and a less than qualified renter can get into plenty of trouble.  That’s why many home rentals are handled by real estate agents, some in collaboration with property management companies.

These companies know how to qualify a renter with credit and background checks, they use rental contracts designed to eliminate misunderstandings and are in compliance with the law. Their service includes a walk-through with a detailed checklist that captures defects before move-in. They know to give the renter required information on the dangers of lead paint and mold.

They will know to de-commission that hot tub to avoid an accident and eliminate unnecessary liability.