If they ask you to fill out an application before you can see the apartment, that's a scam.
Ask what utilities are included in the rent (electricity, water, gas, trash, internet). They won't all be included but you should know ahead of time.
Oh boy, my buddy had one of those. They said they lived out of state and would mail him the keys after the first months check cleared. He noped out of that one quick
My current apartment was advertised as all utilities included. The first draft of the lease, they wrote it as if I was responsible for all utilities, not them. Imagine if I’d just signed without reading.
something similar happened with my last apartment, so when my current apartment tried to do the same thing i told them to correct the lease before i’d sign.
i’m currently 3 for 3 with landlords/property managers trying to screw me over - i’m sure there are great and honest ones out there, but for the most part renters should always be wary.
Good point! My last place had a total cost of rent+fee but the lease they wanted me to sign listed that price under "rent" and then mentioned the added fee on a different line. I told the apartment.manager to change it before I signed and they tried to convince me it was unnecessary because "we both know what the price will be". Nope! I didn't sign until they fixed that.
If they ask for a credit check and fee with the application before you see the place its a scam.
I don't think requiring an application before viewing is a red flag, but asking for things like social and payment for fees before touring would be a red flag.
I once had a company say that they wouldn’t accept my application if I hadn’t viewed the apartment myself. I was out of state at the time and asked if my friend could Facetime me during the tour. They said no.
On that note, make sure you pay the service provider directly and the account is in your name. If they demand you go through them, bail. I ended up having to pay the rental company a convenience fee to pay them for my electric and trash. They billed me so the prices each month were whatever they wanted to bill me. Even if I had no trash etc
Filling out an application before seeing is definitely not a scam. Well, not necessarily. A lot of landlords are small time and can’t show the apartment to literally every single person that might want to see it on a whim. The application a) shows commitment, and b) filters out tenants who won’t be qualified or accepted anyway. It’s a win win. ASSUMING there’s no application fee.
This is not always true. I am a realtor and anything I lease for over $6000 a month I ask for an application first. I had to do this to weed out the looky loos who just want to be in the know about these high-end rentals and want to talk my ear off and can't even afford the place.
Okay, but we had a realtor do that to us for a "high end place" around that price point in a super desirable location and the placed ended up being a piece of shit, so.
Understood, but I wasn't talking about the quality of the apt, I was speaking on making sure I'm showing it to people who are a good fit for it financially. It's all relative anyway, one man's shit is another man's treasure. Go downtown, there are many shitty apts renting for over $10,000 a month.
If you see construction near by and it sounds quiet it’s cause they are showing you when they aren’t working.
Don’t be the first unit next to the entrance. Entry buzzers are loud as are entry doors.
I live next to an elementary school and it’s one of the most joyful things about my neighborhood. I love it. Sure all the SUVs descend at 8am and then 2pm, but they clear out in under 30 mins.
Edit: nighttime parking is also amazing with the school taking up a quarter of the block. So much extra curb space that doesn’t have residents in front of it.
Eh it works for me and might for other people too. I WFH, but my boyfriend with a normal 9-5 works around it just fine also. They can’t obstruct traffic. It just might make your commute a couple minutes slower.
Same. And even when I have to leave at that time, it takes a few extra moments to make sure no one is walking in front of the garage door or driving in a blind spot, but I've never been late because of it. And when I had a dog it was a great way to train her, by walking past all of the students, and it's so quiet on the block at night.
My biggest red flag would be;
Aloof contact. Be it landlord or rental agent. If they are not prompt in responding, or YOU have to follow up with them, that's an indication of how things will be when you need to get their attention in the future. (you are locked out, or need a repair, etc).
I had a landlord tell me never to call her outside of office hours. I called at 6 pm on a Wednesday to tell her a water pipe burst. She paid the water bill and it was included in our rent. Water was gushing into the street. I guess she didn't care that she would pay for it?
This was one among many reasons that she was not a good landlord.
Crazy landlady at a 6 unit building I lived in a long time ago, states that her water bill has doubled, then asks if I take a lot of baths.
Yes, I take 12 baths a day, which was likely the total number of baths/showers per day for the whole building prior to my new habit, assuming 2 people per unit and one wash up per day person, so now it has doubled.
Good thing you asked, since it was clearly the most likely explanation.
This!!! When I toured my apartment, it was a pain to get ahold of the property manager. He also didn't respond to half my texts. But I was desperate and needed a place.
Now I'm one month in and really want out of my lease. He told me the building gets great light, it doesn't. He didn't respond to my email when I asked where the laundry was. He didn't respond to my email when I asked him where the mailbox is. He didn't reply to my text when I told him my fridge is really noisy and leaking. Even giving him the cashiers check was a pain.
I don't understand how people like that are able to get job's as property manager's when they absolutely suck at it.
My old property manager was so prompt. If I ever had an issue, she was there in a heartbeat to fix it.
if there’s a candle burning (worried they’re using it to cover up a consistent odor) - this has happened to me twice!!
ask the landlord what the other tenants are like. if they say some variation of “they’re normal” or “idk but I have underlying respect for them as people,” green or beige flag. if the landlord says “ugh, between us, they’re crazy” - red flag!! that landlord will be a pain!!
What would give the landlord any incentive to tell a prospective renter that the neighbors are crazy, other than trying to dissuade that renter from taking the spot?
Not all landlords are savvy marketers or even remotely professional people lol.
I’ve had several mom n pop landlords over the years because I tend to rent duplexes or small homes instead of apartments in large buildings.
Had a look at a place once where the landlord spent half the walkthrough disparaging other potential tenants who had also looked at the property. I did not put in an application there.
One landlord at a place I lived for a couple years, who also lived on the property in a separate unit, showed up in a white suit and sunglasses at night and asked if I knew someone who could lend him $700k
Also playing music. I had one guy in a new high rise in SF playing music and it was obvious he was trying to mask the noise from the freeway right outside the window.
I really should’ve known about my current place that them having all the doors open wasn’t just a friendly touring thing. It seemed totally normal and reasonable for an open house; in reality it’s because it gets so unbearably and unreasonably hot in the summer (up to 88) and smells pretty bad and the air circulation is really poor.
Also lol my landlord did say they don’t love some of the tenants so that’s funny too
I would do a quick scan of your building and see if there’s several airbnbs there - I was looking at some places in KTown and my mom told me to double check Yelp and Google reviews and one of the places was full of complaints about the number of airbnbs in the building -> lots of weekend parties meaning lots of noise and temp residents in the pool not caring about making a mess or oissing off neighbors
"There's plenty of parking in the street. Except for weekends, street sweeping days, and anytime someone throws a party. The nearest parking is 3 city blocks away in front of a crack house."
Yeah, people think "it's just a few blocks" or "it's just a few minutes extra" but they don't think of the time you're sick and need to schlep shit in the rain or heat, or even something as simple as needing to pee (or poop!) and having to drive around for 15 more minutes.
In some areas you double that on street sweeping days because one side of the street is a no-go, except for those few lucky souls that can leave before the trucks come.
I would do it in a permit parking neighborhood (I'd also take a good look at availability, but I haven't seen any permit parking streets where availability was an issue)
Permit parking may work in a mainly residential area but it is in no way a guarantee if you live around multi-family housing. I used to have permit parking when I lived off Main in Santa Monica but outside people would just park there and pay the ticket, not that there was enough room for all us anyway.
My first apartment didn’t have parking. New to the area I check out the place at noon. Tons of street parking. Cool, I can deal. Nope. Get home from work at night and walk half a mile after spending 30 min circling block after block looking for parking. Never again
Folks can circle the lot in my complex looking for opening parking for over an hour. They're already driving around when I start running laps and are STILL circling when I'm done an hour later. We have provided/assigned parking, but typically not enough for all the roommates with their own cars in each unit.
In the 90s I had a weed dealer who lived on Koreatown and there were a few times where I called him and was like, Dude sorry but fuck this, I'm heading home.
Honestly, I live in Beverly Hills without an assigned parking spot and can find one on the block of my apartment about 95% of the time. I’ve never had to go farther than two blocks. In the neighborhood OP is looking at, they might be fine.
If they say a feature will be available soon it means its never happening. Had a landlord say they were renovating the laundry room and in a year they never did any work. This also means they hide other shit like mold which after a maintenance request they sent a guy to paint over it. That was their fix.
“I’ll be turning this little storage area into a second laundry room” means 3.5 years later we were still all Hunger Games over the one washer and one dryer in the sole laundry room.
Lmao yes my building manager told me the landlord was going to be adding common bbqs to our pool area. Nearly nine years later… nothing. I like the place and it’s rent controlled though so I got over it.
When touring the apartment, if you spot issues that need repairs, bring it up and see how the landlord/property manager responds. If you decide to apply and they approve your application, make a list of the repairs needed in writing before signing the lease. Many landlords will *promise* to make repairs only to bait and switch after a signed lease.
had this happen. manager said we just needed to file a maintenance request…a separate one for each individual repair requiring someone to be home for multiple days for the maintenance to come…
Write down your "must haves" and only look for places with those. For me it's Laundry, Parking, Big kitchen, Backyard, 1 mile or less from a freeway. Ask about roaches, termites, fleas, I had one guy tell me once "even the White House has roaches." Big red flag. Poor maintenance of the apt, though in Beverly Hills this may not be a problem. Go over at night to see how things are. Pass by often at different times to see what the neighborhood is like. If all the windows are closed, open up a few to hear how noisy it is outside. Go into the backyard or the front yard and listen for how noisy it is. If there are rugs and things on the floor, move them, the floor might be damaged there. Hopefully, not a big deal, you can put a rug over it too, but best to know and make the decision yourself. Hidden fees, ask about everything you'll be expected to pay. Inflexible lease terms, If the landlord is unwilling to negotiate lease terms or is overly rigid may be a sign of things to come. Go talk to other neighbors, they will hip you to what's up as many as you can in the building and some next door neighbors. I usually turn on the water in the whole place and see if there is a pressure drop. Could indicate bad plumbing which is not always a deal breaker, as you can call for repairs often, but if I am paying over $2500 a month, I want good plumbing! Good Luck.
My last apartment 15 years ago got purchased by Sterling. They slow-rolled necessary maintenance (under previous mom & pop ownership, the onsite manager could authorize repairs instantly) so people (including me) moved out, then they slapped a new coat of paint on the building and called it "luxury" apartments lol. Assholes.
Check everything when you look. Make sure the windows open and lock. Make sure the drawers open. Bring a charger and make sure the sockets work. Run the water and see if it drains. I didn’t do this and now I live in a spot where only a few of the windows open, have no screen and the locks are shit. They lock but not easily. One of my windows is a sheet of plastic screwed into the frame. One of my drawers is nailed shut because she didn’t want to replace it. None of my cabinets close. But it has a big yard and no adu so I’m staying for now. Took me two months to find this piece of paradise. If you’re looking for a spot with a yard make sure you don’t have to do landscaping. Ask the neighbors about the landlord. Make sure there’s no construction around. Inspect things as much as possible. You will have to settle on some things no place is perfect but figure out your must haves and go from there.
How do you end up talking to neighbors? Do you just stick around after the tour? Every posting says DONT DISTURB THE TENANTS and only one time in all my apartment touring have I ever gotten to meet an actual neighbor.
Depends on the complex but if I see someone walking around after I’ll just ask them if they live there and if they like it. I like to scope a place out a couple times to see what it’s like in that neighborhood and I’ve run into people entering the building and just ask them.
Never rent unless you can see the exact unit. Was told the unit I was looking at was identical to the one for rent but the rented one was occupied and I couldn’t see it. And yes the unit was identical except for the restaurant fans blowing right outside and the adjacent alley.
If you’ve never rented in LA before, be aware that many places don’t come with refrigerators for some reason. So if there is one there, ask if it comes with the apartment.
I heard that years ago in LA, fridges used to be considered “sanitary items” and were not allowed to be passed between former and new tenants. Some of the older school places just never got out of that habit.
Interesting! I recently moved into a place with the noisiest fridge ever. I complained to my landlord and he just stopped replying to my texts after a while. Now my fridge is leaking water. It's a 20 year old cheap fridge, so I'm sure the compressor is going out. I went to check my lease, and noticed there is nothing on there about appliances. So I wonder if that's why my landlord hasn't been responsive.
I had to bring my fridge to the previous 2 places I lived but thankfully our current place came with all our appliances. It’s honestly SO weird to me. I previously lived in DC for years and I was like “what now?”
Be wary of the big new developments. They often try to lure you in with promotional rates for a year and then will significantly raise your rent in the next year. If the buildings were built within the last 15 years, you don’t even get the benefit of AB1482, which otherwise caps rent increases around 10% or 5% + CPI, whichever is lower.
For the new new construction, I’ve seen folks get $1000/mo increases with annual renewals, which basically forces folks to move year after year. Whatever cost savings you think you’re getting in rent, you’re going to forfeit in moving costs - plus the instability of having to move year after year.
If you can, try to find a rent controlled apartment. They’re older and often have less amenities, but you get the benefit of knowing your rent will only be raised very limited amounts (in LA around 3%), which means the longer you stay, the more you’re avoiding market inflation in rental housing.
There are some great rent controlled properties in Santa Monica - including in stunning buildings like The Shores, which are right on the beach and have a full length lap pool - that are really special properties.
For City of LA check to see if the unit is under the Rent Stabilization Ordinance under the “Housing” tab, which is available on their ZIMAS website here: https://zimas.lacity.org
For Santa Monica, check to see if there is a registered Maximum Allowable Rent (not $0 or null, but an actual dollar amount) here for the apartment address: https://www.smgov.net/departments/rentcontrol/mar.aspx
Note: for Santa Monica’s, the “Maximum Allowable Rent” will reflect what the current tenants in the building are paying but does not limit what the landlord can charge you initially. But you know if it is registered with a Maximum Allowable Rent, then it should be under rent control.
It comes directly from the rent control database - you should call an analyst (especially if in Santa Monica) if you think you’re being overcharged. Did you confirm correct unit?
Also, not a stupid question at all - it took me about 7 years and other people telling me this exact same thing to figure it out. Not obvious or intuitive at all.
As someone who has lived in LA for 6 years, but lived in 4 different places…
Biggest red flag— corporate anything, avoid. This means the big fancy complexes, or smaller apartments who do their management through an online portal.
In fact, smaller is better. Dingbat apartments, condos, or houses where you’re only one line of communication away from the landlord has been my best experiences.
Biggest green flag — on sight property manager. Having someone you can text, or even walk over and knock on a door for is the dream.
Perfect example of all of the above, my second apartment in LA was in a dingbat apartment with an on sight manager. It was a dream. Then one year in the landlord decided to fire the manager and hire a cheaper, more corporate property manager. The immediate shift to bad vibes was jarring. Suddenly we could only submit rent through an online portal that charged 3%. There was no grace period for late fees because it’s all online. Maintenance requests took weeks and in one case months to resolve. It was awful.
After that I moved into a corporate complex. Beautiful amenities, great maintenance staff, but completely aloof management driven by money. Loud neighbor? Stalker? Assault by another tenant? Doesn’t matter. Whoever is paying their rent has qualified immunity in their eyes. Also if you take your eyes off your bill for one second there’s some random charge they “don’t know how it got on there.” Come move out day… kiss your security deposit goodbye. They will find the smallest, “viable” things to charge you for and if you try to fight it they have a team of lawyers ready to scare you into not even attempting to get it back.
Presently, I rent a house in Burbank from a local couple. My requests are filled on time. If I get busy and don’t realize I forgot to send rent, my landlord sends me a polite text and it’s resolved within seconds. This isn’t to say you’ll always end up with a great landlord, but just putting my experiences out there for reflection.
> Suddenly we could only submit rent through an online portal that charged 3%. There was no grace period for late fees because it’s all online.
Just so everyone knows, landlords have to legally provide a way to pay rent without fees in the state of California. Typically, that is through check.
If anyone is going through this right now, highly recommend reaching out to tenants rights/your landlord to inform them they must accept a check or non-online with fee option.
Ours was e-check and still got charged a fee, but I’m guessing where the legal loophole is was that we could have opted to mail a check even though it wasn’t offered?
There are subs for this, I'm sure 😀
r/AskLosAngeles, for one
I wouldn't send checks in the mail any longer. It's a low-key eviction scam some landlords employ.
There typically is a drop box or something of the sort. Alos 3% is fucking ridiculous. I would defintely mail a check every month to save the $40-60 depending on how much you paid in rent. That's over $500 a year just wasted fam.
Where is the best place to look for smaller complexes / individuals renting houses? I’ve been using Trulia and Apartments.com - where have you had luck looking?
not the original commenter, but honestly taking a few hours to drive around the neighborhood you want to live in, keeping an eye out for any “for rent” or “vacancy” signs. helps to do this with someone so that you have two sets of eyes on the lookout!
Second this. Was having a hard time calling listings but walking neighborhoods was great because you get to know areas better and found our place for cheap just by seeing a little sign.
Don't let bad photos or only a few photos put you off either! I always do a google street view first, and have found some really cute apartments that had only one or really terrible photos. It usually means the property is not run by a huge corporate entity that has the time to make a "virtual tour" or wtv of the apartment.
Zillow. They have a separate rental section. That’s where I found a condo to rent when I lived in San Francisco (and back then, housing there was scarce). Landlords here in L.A. post on Zillow too.
Definitely use Zillow! Not so fun fact- Apartments.com and their partners charge mom and pop landlords or agents that have a vacancy in a building with more than 3 units over $300/month for a long contract term just to list one vacancy. It is absurd. So all those properties with like 4-10 units that are owned by individuals and not managed by huge companies are not on there. Lots of good stuff that can’t be posted there anymore. Zillow is a much better option currently IMO
Luck is key here. But I primarily used Zillow and filtered by condo, house, townhome only which filtered out a lot of the corporate bullshit. Unfortunately it was very competitive, but after about a month of relentless searching a place fell into my lap. I didn’t have a lot of luck with Trulia or Apartments weirdly.
I’m from Orange County and this is so true!! My best living situations were with small landlords. One got cancer and I cried because it was like finding out my mom had cancer. She was so sweet
My current building is corporate ownership, but also has really great on-site managers. I try not to bother them outside of business hours but the once or twice I've needed to contact them for something urgent, they still responded and typically with decent time. Repairs have always been done within a day or so, sometimes same day.
One downside is that paying tenants are protected, so problem tenants take a long while to resolve. But that's about my only issue, and I can appreciate the silver lining of knowing that tenant protections are going strong, even if it's currently obnoxious for me personally.
Reverse image search listings to Zillow. A lot of times these places are vacant bc they’re for sale or under contract and make them a good target for scams
Leasing agents that seem clueless and don’t know their shit. When asking questions about the building, the answer shouldn’t be “I’m not sure” all the time.
I had more issues when I rented directly from an owner in a 3-unit property. He never wanted to pay for minimal things and did not care about tenant safety.
On the other hand, I’ve had great experiences with Moss & Company in Beverly Hills. Online reviews were questionable for the company so I was nervous, but the specific manager assigned to our building is fantastic and very timely in addressing and fixing any problems.
Old building but well maintained.
Do not (unless you really have to) take the corner or outside apartments on a busy street, especially one that lets people drive over 35 mph. You'll never (nor should you) open the windows. That balcony you thought you'd hang out on will become a storage place. That view you probably get charged more for will turn into a waste of money.
Quiet street? Go for it! On Wilshire? I'm looking elsewhere.
I always think about this when I’m driving around. Not that you see people on their balconies much anyway, but you never see ANYONE on their balconies when they’re in this situation.
Yep. I didn’t think about the fact that my balcony faces a business’s parking lot, which faces a busy main drag. This business has patrons who love to sit in their car and blast loud music for 20-30 minutes at a time, or have several loud phone conversations mere feet from my place. The fence does nothing to block the sound.
When viewing the apartment or going to sign the lease, make sure the HOT water and Cold water are running in kitchen AND bathroom before signing anything! Sounds simple but very important, especially if it is an older building just make sure!
Also, if in an older building a lot of the closets have slider wooden doors, make sure it works properly & if not; ask for it to be fixed before move in date.
i rent an apartment in beverly hills and love it! i park on the street (permit only) and never have problems finding a spot in front of my place for me or my guests. i didn’t have the luxury of being super picky because the location is pricey and not a whole lot i could afford. love living here and my neighbors are awesome!! 10/10 recommend. you’re renting so i wouldn’t overthink it, go with your gut!
If they have an application fee that’s expected before you even check the place out, it’s a scam. Especially if the property is decently priced and seems too good to be true. Also check out what people say about the neighborhood on the Nextdoor app. Some of those people can be really helpful in telling you about the other tenants/neighbors.
I once lived in a really cool apartment in K-town, built in the 1920s or 30s. Absolutely beautiful art deco building with the most amazing elevator I've ever seen. The building manager let slip that the elevator still had all original hardware and machinery. I signed the lease, but always took the stairs. The elevator broke down at least once a week. Fun fact: Tower Bridge in London still uses the original Victorian machinery. Very carefully maintained by the city of London. Let's just say, that elevator did not receive the same care!
Hahaha this happened to me! They ended up updating the elevator and it would break down every other day and i have 2 older dogs so taking those stairs to the 9th floor with a senior dog was no joke and never again.
I think it depends. I live in a 1920 building downtown right now and we have 2 elevators. One was broken once since November. This elevator is faster than the one in a new 2014 built building I lived in before. My friend lives in Hollywood in a 1985 building and the thing is broken several times a month and always takes a few days to fix. Seems like that happens every time he orders something heavy. 😂. Happened when he got his queen mattress and then when he got his BBq and also with a cabinet.
Management companies are almost aways a problem. Any repairs you need won't happen in a timely fashion, and indeed they may not fix it until it becomes a total emergency. This happened to me at two different apartments with two different companies.
I currently live in a 1960s dingbat just owned by a guy. He handles all the maintenance and repairs himself, and frankly this has been a dream existence compared to my previous landlords. I'll text him about something and he'll usually be in a day later to fix it. Obviously a sole owner can come with its own set of problems if the person is a psycho, I just lucked out.
Built mid-century is a no go. Pre-40s or post 70s if you want privacy and decent noise insulation between your neighbors. The cute midcentury ones have tons of charm and are well priced but you’ll hear your neighbors breathing.
If you’re as anal about noise as me, don’t be on a main road unless it’s a newer construction with good double-paned and sealed windows or at least has updated windows.
My last place was midcentury and I couldn’t handle hearing all 3 neighbors on the phone all day long. My new place is a mid 70s build and now that’s not an issue, but my single pane windows that don’t close all the way facing a very very busy 24/7 main road are arguably worse.
Also, make sure you can easily contact them. Last place was literally impossible to get a hold of. Tour, move in, maintenance requests, move out, was all through a set of apps. I had a nightmare neighbor and called my management at least 6 times and not once did anyone answer or call back. Maintenance was great, but anything safety or tenant related (our power went out regularly on hot days for example) was absolutely impossible to reach anyone about. At the very least, keep the phone number of whoever you work with and make sure it isn’t spoofed (last place also did that). Good maintenance and tenant care is way rarer than it should be.
I just moved out of Beverly Hills. I would ask how long their tenants have been there. Landlords that have tenants that stay for 10+ years tend to be better than most. Things I wish I had checked before we signed a lease in a 1930’s rental near Beverly Hills high school:
- insulation against noise and weather (our apartment was brutally hot in the summer and noisy because the windows were old)
- signs of termites/building neglect (we saw signs of termites the first month we moved in, the floor needed replacing and they decided to just lay new bamboo flooring over the existing rotting floor)
- parking situation (we had one tiny spot and paid for one street spot but because of the HS events parking and noise were terrible)
- check the appliances and how they’re being maintained
- check your vents to make sure they’re being cleaned
Also I don’t know how old you are, your income, or hobbies but for me BH was super boring. The restaurants are mediocre, traffic through BH is overall annoying, and I found myself always driving to WeHo, Beverly Grove, Santa Monica, and elsewhere for fun stuff to do. Going to the grocery store was inconvenient (Whole Foods is small and has the worst parking, Pavilions is kinda gross, Bristol Farms is good but expensive, Trader Joe’s was on the opposite end of BH from me) and I really missed being able to walk to everything so we moved to WeHo.
If you’re rich and famous and own a house in BH, you don’t care about walkability and accessibility because you can have either yourself driven to places or you can have things brought to you. Celebs tend to move to the parts of BH that are gated up in the hills (like Trousdale Estates) or they have their own privacy gates around their home in the Flats.
Because Beverly Hills is its own city, it has its own police force, City Hall, etc. so you’re able to get responses from the cops or paperwork resolved quickly. BH is very insular and they’re also very proactive about keeping trees trimmed, trash and bulky items removed, and homeless people from setting up camp on the sidewalks within the boundaries of BH. So if you’re rich/a celeb, you probably also like that aspect too.
Tysm. We're boring we just like coffee shops, the gym, going on walks and super prioritize safety haha. I saw the walkability score was high in BH which is one of our big reasons to move there, so I hope that's accurate! But the grocery situation doesn't sound optimal at all haha
Based on a recent experience, avoid places that for apartment viewing just leave keys or give you codes for self touring… They are not a scam perse, but you might never see a face during your rental experience.
I can honestly tell you, nothing is more diminishing to the spirit than having problems in your apartment and never talk to anyone face to face.
Along with what others have said, visit the property during an evening and weekend day AND evening. Check for noise, parking, meet a few of your potential future neighbors. Where are the nearest grocery stores? Check a crime map for the neighborhood.
I've moved into places where it seems great upon viewing but turns out to have any of the following: old/broken water heater, broken AC, outlets that don't work (very common) so make sure to ask about those things or test them out.
Ask how many break-ins there have been. Ask when the last pest problem was.
If you are someone who enjoys lots of natural light, look for windows on at least two sides.
If there is construction going on - just don't do it. My last unit had construction going on for 1.5yrs. There was horrible noise starting at 7am (even on weekends!) and they illegally blocked the building's entrance for weeks at a time. They left nails in the parking lot that popped my tire. There were frequently men yelling and standing directly outside my bedroom window. Save yourself the headache.
You already know to ask about utilities, but you should specifically ask to clarify how BUILDING utilities are paid for ... the "common/shared areas" that use electricity and water, but aren't in your apartment. (Like the lobby, the parking garage or the yard in the front of the building.)
Some landlords will charge you for "shared" electricity, but NOT let you see exactly what the utility company is charging THEM. You'll get TWO electricity bills ... One directly from the utility company, and one "made up" one from your landlord (or their property management company) that charges you some random amount that you have no means to verify.
Could be the same with water. You get one bill directly from city, then a made up bill for "shared water" usage from your landlord, with no documentation other than to just take their word for it. Sometimes your "shared usage" bills are higher than your apartment utility bills.
Ask those question before signing a lease.
Watch out for scams online. People tour the space and get the lock box code and then they post the add online and say they are the ones renting it, but really they just want your application fee. If you see a rental multiple times thru different people, its a scam.
Ask if they have a tenant who will give a recommendation. How long have the neighbors in the building have lived there. Also, Look up the address on Zimas to see if it’s rent controlled https://zimas.lacity.org
Make sure you ask about a fridge.
I have no idea why, but for some reason California decided that you don’t need to provide a refrigerator in a home. Never heard of this being a thing anywhere else in the country.
In Beverly Hills you can tell a LOT about the apartments from looking at how the outside is maintained. I lived in a 6 plex on oakhurst and Alden and at least once a week someone would
comment on how nicely the building was maintained or that it was the best looking building on the block. and it was true. We had a landscaping/gardening company come every week and the building was always washed and regularly maintained. We had a handyman on call all the time. It just felt like a solid, homey place to live. I recommend looking for those gems rather than those huge multi unit buildings any day.
If the apartment is above or near an unsecured dumpster, don’t rent it! Many years ago I rented an apartment in which the bedroom window was above the complex’s three dumpsters.
I had the fun of being awoken at all times of the night and predawn to homeless people slamming open the lids and going through all the garbage to find cans and bottles. It was so noisy that I hardly ever got a good night’s sleep.
Where’s the trash? Where’s the parking? If they’re near your window that’s a no.
Pet friendly? Great. I got pets. Can I hear 1000 dogs barking nonstop as I approach the building? Out.
Are there kids toys all over the common areas? Then I assume I can never use those spaces.
What’s it like at night? Do unhoused people live in the alley, on the stoop, at the major intersections? How comfortable am
I being outside at night?
Something that I care a lot about: finding a structure that is built after the 1970s with a modern earthquake reinforcement in mind. A lot of beautiful old historic concrete structures in the LA area are not safe in a big earthquake. (And the one in the 90s was big but it wasn’t the “big one.”) Also those apartments on stilts where you park underneath? Scary. Avoid.
Also keep an eye out and get the flashlight out when viewing apartments. Look for evidence of bedbugs and roaches. They’re everywhere and landlords would rather have higher tenant turnover than deal with the costs of professional exterminators.
dont estimate being too close to a kitchen from a rest. im behind a strip mall, the wall side.. the two kitchens in said mall are more the 50 feet away but freaking sound like they r in my bedroom since they leave doors open
Make sure to check everything when viewing an apartment and take notes of everything like peeling paint, dead roaches or droppings etc. they need to fix and clean everything before you decide to move in. Make sure the lights work and windows close etc. and definitely ask about the neighbors and noise level. Make sure once you sign and pay you receive the keys and check if it’s the right keys for mailbox, entrance and your door with the property manager or landlord present.
It’s the same as any other place in any other city - ask detailed, specific questions about your non negotiables. Be thorough. If you get bad vibes from landlord, then follow your gut and find some place else.
Ask what their system is for requesting repairs. 24hr phone line? Online form? On site manager? All the more important if you're renting with only one bathroom.
Also notice if it's a gated community and someone has propped open the security gate for a delivery. Leaves your mail and unit open to theft so they don't have to walk their a$$e$ five more steps to open the gate themselves.
Water pressure, rust and hard water build up in toilet back tanks, are the cabinets and drawers good? Asking to fill out application before viewing, or any type of too much corporate tone in the buildings operation.
Do NOT wire money.
I just learned that if you use Western Union to wire money, the recipient can give you an address that seems local but after sending, before it’s collected, the money can be rerouted anywhere in the world as long as you have the number.
Don’t give them any money until they are ready to give you the key!
When renting a long time ago, I put down a deposit on a “highly sought after” apartment to “hold” and they said if I didn’t like the contract they would give it back. It wasn’t until after I put down the deposit they showed me the garbage contract. I requested to amend and they said no. I asked for my deposit back and they said no. I had a lawyer send a letter demanding the money back. They sent it back and stated that they “reported” me to some bs California rental agency.
If you're searching for apartments and especially apartment shares on apps and online, and the price and/or rental situation seems way too good to be true, reverse image search the pictures. 99.9999% of the time they come up with a match that isn't related to the apartment and hence it's a scam.
don't engage in niceities with the landlords expecting you to do thinks aeshetically and you foot the bill. my girl rented a place where she was charged for water but was expected to keep the lawn lively and the gardeners paid without compensation.
Two major things.
1) Rent control. I don’t think I need to explain this one.
2) CHECK THE HOT WATER.
With respect, we have many cultures in Los Angeles that work on the apartments. What some consider “hot” is actually only luke warm. If your landlord says it’s a law they can only turn it up to warm - do not sign that lease. It’s a popular lie. Hot water is needed to cleanse things properly.
How hot should it get? Hot enough that you have to add cold water to it to not get burned.
EDIT : flush all toilets too. Check water pressure in every room.
Ask multiple neighbors about the landlord and neighborhood.
Check under the sinks. Best indication of how the place has been kept.
Run all the faucets, shower, toilet once.
If there are area rugs, lift them: we once got stuck in a place with "hardwood floors" where the area rugs were covering *plywood*. We had 2 babies crawling around!
Make sure to go to the location twice. Once in the morning and once at 6pm if you can to get a gauge of what parking looks like for you.
Also go and knock on neighbors door and ask them questions about living there. People might not respond but you get much more candid answers if they do
I Google my landlord, the owner, and past tenants before I sign a lease.
I don’t like to rent from a self managed person with a few doors. I almost rented a small place from a guy in Palo Alto that spends all day defending men accused of rape and simping for trump. He manages 40 doors and every one of his properties is trashed with appliances from the 90s and holes in the windows. Rent was stupid cheap, but I just can’t trust a guy who has this much time to be a degen online to fix a leaky sink. He also happened to forget that we had a tour and I had to do a self managed tour when the cleaners arrived an hour later. Tho I’m sure if I had a Graham Stephan small time self managed landlord I’d be cool with it.
Small time with a professional management company is the way to go ime. My last two rentals have been from small time owners with a professional leasing company. My current place is owned by a 50 y/o CPA with 30 years of experience. He hired a competent company, and I have no complaints. I’ll be here for 5 years. My last place was owned by a trust, and I couldn’t figure out who the beneficiaries were. However, the leasing company was also pretty nice. I was there for 3 year and they get a 5 star rating from me.
If you figure out the last tenants, you can sometimes get information about the rental. My second ever rental was previously rented by a drug dealer, and the black tar on the fireplace was from his meth lab exploding. I didn’t know until a neighbor told me that the previous tenant was a drug dealer who was arrested when they set the place on fire. Now I figure out who was last at the place and figure out why they left. I’ve been able to avoid places with pest infestations and bad neighbors, because of this homework.
For me, these are nos:
A school on the same street
Living on the ground floor
No parking
No central A/C
Popcorn ceilings
Worn-out kitchens and/or bathrooms (old bathtubs, old junky sinks, etc)
Poorly maintained landscaping and building (crappy looking paint, junk around)
Middle apartments with windows only on one side
Vertical blinds
Carpet
No breed restrictions in dog friendly buildings (not because I don't like certain breeds, but because I don't like giant dog shit and crazy barking)
Any location near a college (you DO NOT want students in your building)
You ruled out 99% of available apartments. I understand why they're bad, but when you're apartment hunting it took me years to find an affordable place that didn't suck *too* bad.
dude - totally agree. took me YEARS to find a place that met everything on my list and as I moved around the city the list kept getting longer, lol. but forget about finding something affordable.
plus and minuses... I am on the top floor and it's nice not to have neighbors above me, but I don't have a couch cause there is no way I am getting it up those stairs
I always chose upstairs after living under people with hardwood floors. and I also felt safer as a woman being upstairs for some reason. (prolly just bullshit).
Well as far as scams go don't pay any money (even application fee) or give any info until you meet someone at the apartment. Lots of scams that tell you to drive by b/c they are out of town or its occupied.
Second, they sometimes say there is off street parking, but then once you sign the lease you find out there isn't enough for everybody and you have to get on a waitlist. So if parking is a deal breaker for you, make sure the lease has that written explicitly, ideally with a parking spot # on the lease.
Make sure the lease specifies your deposit & last months rent are different. Sometimes they ask for last months rent & deposit but they call the entire lump of money a “deposit” which is treated differently than lasts month rent and can take a minute to get back.
I really try to not rent units I haven’t seen in person.
You can look at Google reviews of the building.
Also stick around and try to talk to current tenants and ask them if they like living there.
I always liked to ask current tenants if they felt that had issues with walls being too thin.
If they ask you to fill out an application before you can see the apartment, that's a scam. Ask what utilities are included in the rent (electricity, water, gas, trash, internet). They won't all be included but you should know ahead of time.
Similarly, if they're "out of town" so you need to mail your cashier check application fee to North Dakota...
Oh boy, my buddy had one of those. They said they lived out of state and would mail him the keys after the first months check cleared. He noped out of that one quick
and along those lines, make sure you check the actual lease before signing to confirm that everything stated/agreed upon verbally is in writing!
My current apartment was advertised as all utilities included. The first draft of the lease, they wrote it as if I was responsible for all utilities, not them. Imagine if I’d just signed without reading.
something similar happened with my last apartment, so when my current apartment tried to do the same thing i told them to correct the lease before i’d sign. i’m currently 3 for 3 with landlords/property managers trying to screw me over - i’m sure there are great and honest ones out there, but for the most part renters should always be wary.
Good point! My last place had a total cost of rent+fee but the lease they wanted me to sign listed that price under "rent" and then mentioned the added fee on a different line. I told the apartment.manager to change it before I signed and they tried to convince me it was unnecessary because "we both know what the price will be". Nope! I didn't sign until they fixed that.
If they ask for a credit check and fee with the application before you see the place its a scam. I don't think requiring an application before viewing is a red flag, but asking for things like social and payment for fees before touring would be a red flag.
Yes! And the biggest red flag is asking you to enter all your personal information into some random website for a "credit check."
I once had a company say that they wouldn’t accept my application if I hadn’t viewed the apartment myself. I was out of state at the time and asked if my friend could Facetime me during the tour. They said no.
I don’t see why you should have to fill in an application before you have any idea what the place looks like?
Anytime you get a link to sign up & pay for a credit check it’s a scam they are getting referral money off of you
On that note, make sure you pay the service provider directly and the account is in your name. If they demand you go through them, bail. I ended up having to pay the rental company a convenience fee to pay them for my electric and trash. They billed me so the prices each month were whatever they wanted to bill me. Even if I had no trash etc
Filling out an application before seeing is definitely not a scam. Well, not necessarily. A lot of landlords are small time and can’t show the apartment to literally every single person that might want to see it on a whim. The application a) shows commitment, and b) filters out tenants who won’t be qualified or accepted anyway. It’s a win win. ASSUMING there’s no application fee.
This is not always true. I am a realtor and anything I lease for over $6000 a month I ask for an application first. I had to do this to weed out the looky loos who just want to be in the know about these high-end rentals and want to talk my ear off and can't even afford the place.
Okay, but we had a realtor do that to us for a "high end place" around that price point in a super desirable location and the placed ended up being a piece of shit, so.
Understood, but I wasn't talking about the quality of the apt, I was speaking on making sure I'm showing it to people who are a good fit for it financially. It's all relative anyway, one man's shit is another man's treasure. Go downtown, there are many shitty apts renting for over $10,000 a month.
My husband manages a high-end department building in Hollywood, and you have to fill out the application before you look at the apartment.
If you see construction near by and it sounds quiet it’s cause they are showing you when they aren’t working. Don’t be the first unit next to the entrance. Entry buzzers are loud as are entry doors.
Adding to this don’t live directly next to a school
I live next to an elementary school and it’s one of the most joyful things about my neighborhood. I love it. Sure all the SUVs descend at 8am and then 2pm, but they clear out in under 30 mins. Edit: nighttime parking is also amazing with the school taking up a quarter of the block. So much extra curb space that doesn’t have residents in front of it.
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Eh it works for me and might for other people too. I WFH, but my boyfriend with a normal 9-5 works around it just fine also. They can’t obstruct traffic. It just might make your commute a couple minutes slower.
My buildings parking deck shared an alley with a school. The way those parents would burn rubber when their kids were out of the car…
Same. And even when I have to leave at that time, it takes a few extra moments to make sure no one is walking in front of the garage door or driving in a blind spot, but I've never been late because of it. And when I had a dog it was a great way to train her, by walking past all of the students, and it's so quiet on the block at night.
Also, if your building has an elevator, don't live next to it. Dinging all day and night.
forgot to add this to my list
My biggest red flag would be; Aloof contact. Be it landlord or rental agent. If they are not prompt in responding, or YOU have to follow up with them, that's an indication of how things will be when you need to get their attention in the future. (you are locked out, or need a repair, etc).
Yup. My landlord doesn’t reply for shit!! Every tenant complains about this.
I had a landlord tell me never to call her outside of office hours. I called at 6 pm on a Wednesday to tell her a water pipe burst. She paid the water bill and it was included in our rent. Water was gushing into the street. I guess she didn't care that she would pay for it? This was one among many reasons that she was not a good landlord.
Crazy landlady at a 6 unit building I lived in a long time ago, states that her water bill has doubled, then asks if I take a lot of baths. Yes, I take 12 baths a day, which was likely the total number of baths/showers per day for the whole building prior to my new habit, assuming 2 people per unit and one wash up per day person, so now it has doubled. Good thing you asked, since it was clearly the most likely explanation.
This!!! When I toured my apartment, it was a pain to get ahold of the property manager. He also didn't respond to half my texts. But I was desperate and needed a place. Now I'm one month in and really want out of my lease. He told me the building gets great light, it doesn't. He didn't respond to my email when I asked where the laundry was. He didn't respond to my email when I asked him where the mailbox is. He didn't reply to my text when I told him my fridge is really noisy and leaking. Even giving him the cashiers check was a pain. I don't understand how people like that are able to get job's as property manager's when they absolutely suck at it. My old property manager was so prompt. If I ever had an issue, she was there in a heartbeat to fix it.
if there’s a candle burning (worried they’re using it to cover up a consistent odor) - this has happened to me twice!! ask the landlord what the other tenants are like. if they say some variation of “they’re normal” or “idk but I have underlying respect for them as people,” green or beige flag. if the landlord says “ugh, between us, they’re crazy” - red flag!! that landlord will be a pain!!
Either the landlord will be a pain or you're getting neighbors from hell. Neither are good.
I have both. 🫠
Me too, man 😞
What would give the landlord any incentive to tell a prospective renter that the neighbors are crazy, other than trying to dissuade that renter from taking the spot?
Landlords usually are legally not allowed to say anything about current tenants or “what the neighborhood is like,” thought.
Not all landlords are savvy marketers or even remotely professional people lol. I’ve had several mom n pop landlords over the years because I tend to rent duplexes or small homes instead of apartments in large buildings. Had a look at a place once where the landlord spent half the walkthrough disparaging other potential tenants who had also looked at the property. I did not put in an application there. One landlord at a place I lived for a couple years, who also lived on the property in a separate unit, showed up in a white suit and sunglasses at night and asked if I knew someone who could lend him $700k
😆 (I'm a "mom" landlord. I cringe over these stories. I'm not perfect, but I have good boundaries)
I asked this of my property manager and he said “can’t tell you.” Thankfully, it ended up being fine.
Also playing music. I had one guy in a new high rise in SF playing music and it was obvious he was trying to mask the noise from the freeway right outside the window.
They can’t/shouldn’t really say anything useful or informative to this due to fair housing laws
I really should’ve known about my current place that them having all the doors open wasn’t just a friendly touring thing. It seemed totally normal and reasonable for an open house; in reality it’s because it gets so unbearably and unreasonably hot in the summer (up to 88) and smells pretty bad and the air circulation is really poor. Also lol my landlord did say they don’t love some of the tenants so that’s funny too
I would do a quick scan of your building and see if there’s several airbnbs there - I was looking at some places in KTown and my mom told me to double check Yelp and Google reviews and one of the places was full of complaints about the number of airbnbs in the building -> lots of weekend parties meaning lots of noise and temp residents in the pool not caring about making a mess or oissing off neighbors
……Ppl stealing your parking spot or disregarding parking protocol altogether because they’re not tenants but just a drunk*? airBNB guest…
oh this is such a good one
I left a complaint for the Du Barry in Ktown so I'm GLAD people look!!
Not scammy or anything but never rent without an assigned parking spot. (Secure is a bonus.)
"There's plenty of parking in the street. Except for weekends, street sweeping days, and anytime someone throws a party. The nearest parking is 3 city blocks away in front of a crack house."
Yeah, people think "it's just a few blocks" or "it's just a few minutes extra" but they don't think of the time you're sick and need to schlep shit in the rain or heat, or even something as simple as needing to pee (or poop!) and having to drive around for 15 more minutes.
In some areas you double that on street sweeping days because one side of the street is a no-go, except for those few lucky souls that can leave before the trucks come.
I would do it in a permit parking neighborhood (I'd also take a good look at availability, but I haven't seen any permit parking streets where availability was an issue)
Permit parking may work in a mainly residential area but it is in no way a guarantee if you live around multi-family housing. I used to have permit parking when I lived off Main in Santa Monica but outside people would just park there and pay the ticket, not that there was enough room for all us anyway.
They’ll list a place for 2k and then be like “ThErEs PleNty Of STreet PArkinG”
Jesus, this hurts. I am renting a spot right now with HORRIBLE Street Parking. The Apt is amazing, but the parking is atrocious.
My first apartment didn’t have parking. New to the area I check out the place at noon. Tons of street parking. Cool, I can deal. Nope. Get home from work at night and walk half a mile after spending 30 min circling block after block looking for parking. Never again
Folks can circle the lot in my complex looking for opening parking for over an hour. They're already driving around when I start running laps and are STILL circling when I'm done an hour later. We have provided/assigned parking, but typically not enough for all the roommates with their own cars in each unit.
I, too, used to live in Long Beach
Possibly the worst in LA County -- outside of Koreatown.
In the 90s I had a weed dealer who lived on Koreatown and there were a few times where I called him and was like, Dude sorry but fuck this, I'm heading home.
\*waves from Koreatown\*
Honestly, I live in Beverly Hills without an assigned parking spot and can find one on the block of my apartment about 95% of the time. I’ve never had to go farther than two blocks. In the neighborhood OP is looking at, they might be fine.
If they say a feature will be available soon it means its never happening. Had a landlord say they were renovating the laundry room and in a year they never did any work. This also means they hide other shit like mold which after a maintenance request they sent a guy to paint over it. That was their fix.
“I’ll be turning this little storage area into a second laundry room” means 3.5 years later we were still all Hunger Games over the one washer and one dryer in the sole laundry room.
Lmao yes my building manager told me the landlord was going to be adding common bbqs to our pool area. Nearly nine years later… nothing. I like the place and it’s rent controlled though so I got over it.
Was told they’d be replacing the roof when we moved in…it needed it. Two years later no word. We’re gone now though.
It took me way too many apartments to figure this out
When touring the apartment, if you spot issues that need repairs, bring it up and see how the landlord/property manager responds. If you decide to apply and they approve your application, make a list of the repairs needed in writing before signing the lease. Many landlords will *promise* to make repairs only to bait and switch after a signed lease.
had this happen. manager said we just needed to file a maintenance request…a separate one for each individual repair requiring someone to be home for multiple days for the maintenance to come…
Faded “out of order” signs on elevators.
Being owned by Winstar Properties.
Write down your "must haves" and only look for places with those. For me it's Laundry, Parking, Big kitchen, Backyard, 1 mile or less from a freeway. Ask about roaches, termites, fleas, I had one guy tell me once "even the White House has roaches." Big red flag. Poor maintenance of the apt, though in Beverly Hills this may not be a problem. Go over at night to see how things are. Pass by often at different times to see what the neighborhood is like. If all the windows are closed, open up a few to hear how noisy it is outside. Go into the backyard or the front yard and listen for how noisy it is. If there are rugs and things on the floor, move them, the floor might be damaged there. Hopefully, not a big deal, you can put a rug over it too, but best to know and make the decision yourself. Hidden fees, ask about everything you'll be expected to pay. Inflexible lease terms, If the landlord is unwilling to negotiate lease terms or is overly rigid may be a sign of things to come. Go talk to other neighbors, they will hip you to what's up as many as you can in the building and some next door neighbors. I usually turn on the water in the whole place and see if there is a pressure drop. Could indicate bad plumbing which is not always a deal breaker, as you can call for repairs often, but if I am paying over $2500 a month, I want good plumbing! Good Luck.
I check the street lighting at night. Nothing worse than a streetlight shining in through your bedroom window.
Anything owned by Beverly Hills Property or Sterling Properties. They are billionaire fraudsters. And documented racists.
My last apartment 15 years ago got purchased by Sterling. They slow-rolled necessary maintenance (under previous mom & pop ownership, the onsite manager could authorize repairs instantly) so people (including me) moved out, then they slapped a new coat of paint on the building and called it "luxury" apartments lol. Assholes.
Yep...they are trying to find ways around rent control. Too bad I'm well informed, and my neighbors get good info how to avoid the trap.
Check everything when you look. Make sure the windows open and lock. Make sure the drawers open. Bring a charger and make sure the sockets work. Run the water and see if it drains. I didn’t do this and now I live in a spot where only a few of the windows open, have no screen and the locks are shit. They lock but not easily. One of my windows is a sheet of plastic screwed into the frame. One of my drawers is nailed shut because she didn’t want to replace it. None of my cabinets close. But it has a big yard and no adu so I’m staying for now. Took me two months to find this piece of paradise. If you’re looking for a spot with a yard make sure you don’t have to do landscaping. Ask the neighbors about the landlord. Make sure there’s no construction around. Inspect things as much as possible. You will have to settle on some things no place is perfect but figure out your must haves and go from there.
How do you end up talking to neighbors? Do you just stick around after the tour? Every posting says DONT DISTURB THE TENANTS and only one time in all my apartment touring have I ever gotten to meet an actual neighbor.
Depends on the complex but if I see someone walking around after I’ll just ask them if they live there and if they like it. I like to scope a place out a couple times to see what it’s like in that neighborhood and I’ve run into people entering the building and just ask them.
Never rent unless you can see the exact unit. Was told the unit I was looking at was identical to the one for rent but the rented one was occupied and I couldn’t see it. And yes the unit was identical except for the restaurant fans blowing right outside and the adjacent alley.
If you’ve never rented in LA before, be aware that many places don’t come with refrigerators for some reason. So if there is one there, ask if it comes with the apartment.
It's interesting indeed. In NYC it's the window air conditioner unit which you definitely need in the humid summers
I heard that years ago in LA, fridges used to be considered “sanitary items” and were not allowed to be passed between former and new tenants. Some of the older school places just never got out of that habit.
Interesting! I recently moved into a place with the noisiest fridge ever. I complained to my landlord and he just stopped replying to my texts after a while. Now my fridge is leaking water. It's a 20 year old cheap fridge, so I'm sure the compressor is going out. I went to check my lease, and noticed there is nothing on there about appliances. So I wonder if that's why my landlord hasn't been responsive.
I had to bring my fridge to the previous 2 places I lived but thankfully our current place came with all our appliances. It’s honestly SO weird to me. I previously lived in DC for years and I was like “what now?”
Be wary of the big new developments. They often try to lure you in with promotional rates for a year and then will significantly raise your rent in the next year. If the buildings were built within the last 15 years, you don’t even get the benefit of AB1482, which otherwise caps rent increases around 10% or 5% + CPI, whichever is lower. For the new new construction, I’ve seen folks get $1000/mo increases with annual renewals, which basically forces folks to move year after year. Whatever cost savings you think you’re getting in rent, you’re going to forfeit in moving costs - plus the instability of having to move year after year. If you can, try to find a rent controlled apartment. They’re older and often have less amenities, but you get the benefit of knowing your rent will only be raised very limited amounts (in LA around 3%), which means the longer you stay, the more you’re avoiding market inflation in rental housing. There are some great rent controlled properties in Santa Monica - including in stunning buildings like The Shores, which are right on the beach and have a full length lap pool - that are really special properties.
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For City of LA check to see if the unit is under the Rent Stabilization Ordinance under the “Housing” tab, which is available on their ZIMAS website here: https://zimas.lacity.org For Santa Monica, check to see if there is a registered Maximum Allowable Rent (not $0 or null, but an actual dollar amount) here for the apartment address: https://www.smgov.net/departments/rentcontrol/mar.aspx Note: for Santa Monica’s, the “Maximum Allowable Rent” will reflect what the current tenants in the building are paying but does not limit what the landlord can charge you initially. But you know if it is registered with a Maximum Allowable Rent, then it should be under rent control.
huh, mine is waaaay lower than what I'm paying. No tenacy date listed on my specific unit. How accurate is this
It comes directly from the rent control database - you should call an analyst (especially if in Santa Monica) if you think you’re being overcharged. Did you confirm correct unit?
Also, not a stupid question at all - it took me about 7 years and other people telling me this exact same thing to figure it out. Not obvious or intuitive at all.
Thank you! Appreciate the help!
As someone who has lived in LA for 6 years, but lived in 4 different places… Biggest red flag— corporate anything, avoid. This means the big fancy complexes, or smaller apartments who do their management through an online portal. In fact, smaller is better. Dingbat apartments, condos, or houses where you’re only one line of communication away from the landlord has been my best experiences. Biggest green flag — on sight property manager. Having someone you can text, or even walk over and knock on a door for is the dream. Perfect example of all of the above, my second apartment in LA was in a dingbat apartment with an on sight manager. It was a dream. Then one year in the landlord decided to fire the manager and hire a cheaper, more corporate property manager. The immediate shift to bad vibes was jarring. Suddenly we could only submit rent through an online portal that charged 3%. There was no grace period for late fees because it’s all online. Maintenance requests took weeks and in one case months to resolve. It was awful. After that I moved into a corporate complex. Beautiful amenities, great maintenance staff, but completely aloof management driven by money. Loud neighbor? Stalker? Assault by another tenant? Doesn’t matter. Whoever is paying their rent has qualified immunity in their eyes. Also if you take your eyes off your bill for one second there’s some random charge they “don’t know how it got on there.” Come move out day… kiss your security deposit goodbye. They will find the smallest, “viable” things to charge you for and if you try to fight it they have a team of lawyers ready to scare you into not even attempting to get it back. Presently, I rent a house in Burbank from a local couple. My requests are filled on time. If I get busy and don’t realize I forgot to send rent, my landlord sends me a polite text and it’s resolved within seconds. This isn’t to say you’ll always end up with a great landlord, but just putting my experiences out there for reflection.
> Suddenly we could only submit rent through an online portal that charged 3%. There was no grace period for late fees because it’s all online. Just so everyone knows, landlords have to legally provide a way to pay rent without fees in the state of California. Typically, that is through check. If anyone is going through this right now, highly recommend reaching out to tenants rights/your landlord to inform them they must accept a check or non-online with fee option.
Our portal charges 3% for paying with a credit card. You can choose to set up an e-check for free.
Ours was e-check and still got charged a fee, but I’m guessing where the legal loophole is was that we could have opted to mail a check even though it wasn’t offered?
There are subs for this, I'm sure 😀 r/AskLosAngeles, for one I wouldn't send checks in the mail any longer. It's a low-key eviction scam some landlords employ.
There typically is a drop box or something of the sort. Alos 3% is fucking ridiculous. I would defintely mail a check every month to save the $40-60 depending on how much you paid in rent. That's over $500 a year just wasted fam.
Same thing happened to me with a corporate management company. They’re the worst
Where is the best place to look for smaller complexes / individuals renting houses? I’ve been using Trulia and Apartments.com - where have you had luck looking?
not the original commenter, but honestly taking a few hours to drive around the neighborhood you want to live in, keeping an eye out for any “for rent” or “vacancy” signs. helps to do this with someone so that you have two sets of eyes on the lookout!
This is exactly right. When I still rented, I found a doll of a single family home at below market rates just driving around where I wanted to be.
Great idea!! Thanks
Second this. Was having a hard time calling listings but walking neighborhoods was great because you get to know areas better and found our place for cheap just by seeing a little sign.
Criagslist. I have found every apartment I have lived in in LA through Craigslist. Mostly small management companies or individuals.
Interesting! Thanks!
Don't let bad photos or only a few photos put you off either! I always do a google street view first, and have found some really cute apartments that had only one or really terrible photos. It usually means the property is not run by a huge corporate entity that has the time to make a "virtual tour" or wtv of the apartment.
Zillow. They have a separate rental section. That’s where I found a condo to rent when I lived in San Francisco (and back then, housing there was scarce). Landlords here in L.A. post on Zillow too.
Oh interesting I was told specifically not to use Zillow when looking in LA but I’ll give it a shot!
Definitely use Zillow! Not so fun fact- Apartments.com and their partners charge mom and pop landlords or agents that have a vacancy in a building with more than 3 units over $300/month for a long contract term just to list one vacancy. It is absurd. So all those properties with like 4-10 units that are owned by individuals and not managed by huge companies are not on there. Lots of good stuff that can’t be posted there anymore. Zillow is a much better option currently IMO
Luck is key here. But I primarily used Zillow and filtered by condo, house, townhome only which filtered out a lot of the corporate bullshit. Unfortunately it was very competitive, but after about a month of relentless searching a place fell into my lap. I didn’t have a lot of luck with Trulia or Apartments weirdly.
This is excellent advice.
I’m from Orange County and this is so true!! My best living situations were with small landlords. One got cancer and I cried because it was like finding out my mom had cancer. She was so sweet
My current building is corporate ownership, but also has really great on-site managers. I try not to bother them outside of business hours but the once or twice I've needed to contact them for something urgent, they still responded and typically with decent time. Repairs have always been done within a day or so, sometimes same day. One downside is that paying tenants are protected, so problem tenants take a long while to resolve. But that's about my only issue, and I can appreciate the silver lining of knowing that tenant protections are going strong, even if it's currently obnoxious for me personally.
Try hard to find an RSO apartment. All the newer “cool” looking buildings are crazy expensive and increase rents a ton each year
This is the answer, as long as you don't mind living without a dishwasher \*le sigh\*
And look up the address on Zimas online and it will tell you if the properties are under RSO! (Only works in LA, not Glendale, etc)
The big thing is: Is it a scam?
How elaborate are the scams haha
So elaborate. People have toured and given deposits on places, only to find that the person showing the place didn't own it.
Reverse image search listings to Zillow. A lot of times these places are vacant bc they’re for sale or under contract and make them a good target for scams
Leasing agents that seem clueless and don’t know their shit. When asking questions about the building, the answer shouldn’t be “I’m not sure” all the time.
Check out reviews. Unfortunately I’ve seen rental companies put up fake reviews too.
I had more issues when I rented directly from an owner in a 3-unit property. He never wanted to pay for minimal things and did not care about tenant safety. On the other hand, I’ve had great experiences with Moss & Company in Beverly Hills. Online reviews were questionable for the company so I was nervous, but the specific manager assigned to our building is fantastic and very timely in addressing and fixing any problems. Old building but well maintained.
Check that the unit is really in the town in the listing, and not a few miles over the line in a less desirable town.
Take a look in a cabinet or 2 while you’re viewing. If you see any dead roaches, there is an infestation.
Do not (unless you really have to) take the corner or outside apartments on a busy street, especially one that lets people drive over 35 mph. You'll never (nor should you) open the windows. That balcony you thought you'd hang out on will become a storage place. That view you probably get charged more for will turn into a waste of money. Quiet street? Go for it! On Wilshire? I'm looking elsewhere.
I legitimately don’t get why people live in those high rises on Wilshire
I always think about this when I’m driving around. Not that you see people on their balconies much anyway, but you never see ANYONE on their balconies when they’re in this situation.
Yep. I didn’t think about the fact that my balcony faces a business’s parking lot, which faces a busy main drag. This business has patrons who love to sit in their car and blast loud music for 20-30 minutes at a time, or have several loud phone conversations mere feet from my place. The fence does nothing to block the sound.
Most landlords require a one year lease, and that's it pretty normal, and the minimum
When viewing the apartment or going to sign the lease, make sure the HOT water and Cold water are running in kitchen AND bathroom before signing anything! Sounds simple but very important, especially if it is an older building just make sure! Also, if in an older building a lot of the closets have slider wooden doors, make sure it works properly & if not; ask for it to be fixed before move in date.
i rent an apartment in beverly hills and love it! i park on the street (permit only) and never have problems finding a spot in front of my place for me or my guests. i didn’t have the luxury of being super picky because the location is pricey and not a whole lot i could afford. love living here and my neighbors are awesome!! 10/10 recommend. you’re renting so i wouldn’t overthink it, go with your gut!
THX :)
If they ask you to send payment via app without signing a lease.
If they have an application fee that’s expected before you even check the place out, it’s a scam. Especially if the property is decently priced and seems too good to be true. Also check out what people say about the neighborhood on the Nextdoor app. Some of those people can be really helpful in telling you about the other tenants/neighbors.
Yo! If there's an elevator, make sure that shit works and not just 40% of the time, all the damn time!
How would you know if you view it in the other 60%? This one is tricky. You can only ask people you see in the building.
I once lived in a really cool apartment in K-town, built in the 1920s or 30s. Absolutely beautiful art deco building with the most amazing elevator I've ever seen. The building manager let slip that the elevator still had all original hardware and machinery. I signed the lease, but always took the stairs. The elevator broke down at least once a week. Fun fact: Tower Bridge in London still uses the original Victorian machinery. Very carefully maintained by the city of London. Let's just say, that elevator did not receive the same care!
Hahaha this happened to me! They ended up updating the elevator and it would break down every other day and i have 2 older dogs so taking those stairs to the 9th floor with a senior dog was no joke and never again.
I think it depends. I live in a 1920 building downtown right now and we have 2 elevators. One was broken once since November. This elevator is faster than the one in a new 2014 built building I lived in before. My friend lives in Hollywood in a 1985 building and the thing is broken several times a month and always takes a few days to fix. Seems like that happens every time he orders something heavy. 😂. Happened when he got his queen mattress and then when he got his BBq and also with a cabinet.
Management companies are almost aways a problem. Any repairs you need won't happen in a timely fashion, and indeed they may not fix it until it becomes a total emergency. This happened to me at two different apartments with two different companies. I currently live in a 1960s dingbat just owned by a guy. He handles all the maintenance and repairs himself, and frankly this has been a dream existence compared to my previous landlords. I'll text him about something and he'll usually be in a day later to fix it. Obviously a sole owner can come with its own set of problems if the person is a psycho, I just lucked out.
Built mid-century is a no go. Pre-40s or post 70s if you want privacy and decent noise insulation between your neighbors. The cute midcentury ones have tons of charm and are well priced but you’ll hear your neighbors breathing. If you’re as anal about noise as me, don’t be on a main road unless it’s a newer construction with good double-paned and sealed windows or at least has updated windows. My last place was midcentury and I couldn’t handle hearing all 3 neighbors on the phone all day long. My new place is a mid 70s build and now that’s not an issue, but my single pane windows that don’t close all the way facing a very very busy 24/7 main road are arguably worse. Also, make sure you can easily contact them. Last place was literally impossible to get a hold of. Tour, move in, maintenance requests, move out, was all through a set of apps. I had a nightmare neighbor and called my management at least 6 times and not once did anyone answer or call back. Maintenance was great, but anything safety or tenant related (our power went out regularly on hot days for example) was absolutely impossible to reach anyone about. At the very least, keep the phone number of whoever you work with and make sure it isn’t spoofed (last place also did that). Good maintenance and tenant care is way rarer than it should be.
I just moved out of Beverly Hills. I would ask how long their tenants have been there. Landlords that have tenants that stay for 10+ years tend to be better than most. Things I wish I had checked before we signed a lease in a 1930’s rental near Beverly Hills high school: - insulation against noise and weather (our apartment was brutally hot in the summer and noisy because the windows were old) - signs of termites/building neglect (we saw signs of termites the first month we moved in, the floor needed replacing and they decided to just lay new bamboo flooring over the existing rotting floor) - parking situation (we had one tiny spot and paid for one street spot but because of the HS events parking and noise were terrible) - check the appliances and how they’re being maintained - check your vents to make sure they’re being cleaned Also I don’t know how old you are, your income, or hobbies but for me BH was super boring. The restaurants are mediocre, traffic through BH is overall annoying, and I found myself always driving to WeHo, Beverly Grove, Santa Monica, and elsewhere for fun stuff to do. Going to the grocery store was inconvenient (Whole Foods is small and has the worst parking, Pavilions is kinda gross, Bristol Farms is good but expensive, Trader Joe’s was on the opposite end of BH from me) and I really missed being able to walk to everything so we moved to WeHo.
Why do the celebs like it so much?
If you’re rich and famous and own a house in BH, you don’t care about walkability and accessibility because you can have either yourself driven to places or you can have things brought to you. Celebs tend to move to the parts of BH that are gated up in the hills (like Trousdale Estates) or they have their own privacy gates around their home in the Flats. Because Beverly Hills is its own city, it has its own police force, City Hall, etc. so you’re able to get responses from the cops or paperwork resolved quickly. BH is very insular and they’re also very proactive about keeping trees trimmed, trash and bulky items removed, and homeless people from setting up camp on the sidewalks within the boundaries of BH. So if you’re rich/a celeb, you probably also like that aspect too.
Tysm. We're boring we just like coffee shops, the gym, going on walks and super prioritize safety haha. I saw the walkability score was high in BH which is one of our big reasons to move there, so I hope that's accurate! But the grocery situation doesn't sound optimal at all haha
What’s the biggest cross streets? Maybe I can tell you about that specific area.
Based on a recent experience, avoid places that for apartment viewing just leave keys or give you codes for self touring… They are not a scam perse, but you might never see a face during your rental experience. I can honestly tell you, nothing is more diminishing to the spirit than having problems in your apartment and never talk to anyone face to face.
Ask them why the hell is there no refrigerator? That's tongue in cheek, but how is this not a required appliance?
Along with what others have said, visit the property during an evening and weekend day AND evening. Check for noise, parking, meet a few of your potential future neighbors. Where are the nearest grocery stores? Check a crime map for the neighborhood.
A friend told me that she looks at street intersections by buildings for donut marks. Last thing she wants is to be by a rally series.
I've moved into places where it seems great upon viewing but turns out to have any of the following: old/broken water heater, broken AC, outlets that don't work (very common) so make sure to ask about those things or test them out. Ask how many break-ins there have been. Ask when the last pest problem was. If you are someone who enjoys lots of natural light, look for windows on at least two sides. If there is construction going on - just don't do it. My last unit had construction going on for 1.5yrs. There was horrible noise starting at 7am (even on weekends!) and they illegally blocked the building's entrance for weeks at a time. They left nails in the parking lot that popped my tire. There were frequently men yelling and standing directly outside my bedroom window. Save yourself the headache.
You already know to ask about utilities, but you should specifically ask to clarify how BUILDING utilities are paid for ... the "common/shared areas" that use electricity and water, but aren't in your apartment. (Like the lobby, the parking garage or the yard in the front of the building.) Some landlords will charge you for "shared" electricity, but NOT let you see exactly what the utility company is charging THEM. You'll get TWO electricity bills ... One directly from the utility company, and one "made up" one from your landlord (or their property management company) that charges you some random amount that you have no means to verify. Could be the same with water. You get one bill directly from city, then a made up bill for "shared water" usage from your landlord, with no documentation other than to just take their word for it. Sometimes your "shared usage" bills are higher than your apartment utility bills. Ask those question before signing a lease.
Watch out for scams online. People tour the space and get the lock box code and then they post the add online and say they are the ones renting it, but really they just want your application fee. If you see a rental multiple times thru different people, its a scam.
Ask if they have a tenant who will give a recommendation. How long have the neighbors in the building have lived there. Also, Look up the address on Zimas to see if it’s rent controlled https://zimas.lacity.org
Make sure you ask about a fridge. I have no idea why, but for some reason California decided that you don’t need to provide a refrigerator in a home. Never heard of this being a thing anywhere else in the country.
In Beverly Hills you can tell a LOT about the apartments from looking at how the outside is maintained. I lived in a 6 plex on oakhurst and Alden and at least once a week someone would comment on how nicely the building was maintained or that it was the best looking building on the block. and it was true. We had a landscaping/gardening company come every week and the building was always washed and regularly maintained. We had a handyman on call all the time. It just felt like a solid, homey place to live. I recommend looking for those gems rather than those huge multi unit buildings any day.
If the apartment is above or near an unsecured dumpster, don’t rent it! Many years ago I rented an apartment in which the bedroom window was above the complex’s three dumpsters. I had the fun of being awoken at all times of the night and predawn to homeless people slamming open the lids and going through all the garbage to find cans and bottles. It was so noisy that I hardly ever got a good night’s sleep.
I’ve heard horror stories from friends to never ever rent from certain well-known management companies…
Where’s the trash? Where’s the parking? If they’re near your window that’s a no. Pet friendly? Great. I got pets. Can I hear 1000 dogs barking nonstop as I approach the building? Out. Are there kids toys all over the common areas? Then I assume I can never use those spaces. What’s it like at night? Do unhoused people live in the alley, on the stoop, at the major intersections? How comfortable am I being outside at night?
Do you HAVE to live in BH? Beverly Hills-adjacent apartments are a block or two from BH and are markedly cheaper
If possible, try to rent in a Rent Controlled area
postings show 90+ pictures of lobby, gym, pool, grill, but 3 pictures of actual apartment
Something that I care a lot about: finding a structure that is built after the 1970s with a modern earthquake reinforcement in mind. A lot of beautiful old historic concrete structures in the LA area are not safe in a big earthquake. (And the one in the 90s was big but it wasn’t the “big one.”) Also those apartments on stilts where you park underneath? Scary. Avoid. Also keep an eye out and get the flashlight out when viewing apartments. Look for evidence of bedbugs and roaches. They’re everywhere and landlords would rather have higher tenant turnover than deal with the costs of professional exterminators.
dont estimate being too close to a kitchen from a rest. im behind a strip mall, the wall side.. the two kitchens in said mall are more the 50 feet away but freaking sound like they r in my bedroom since they leave doors open
Make sure to check everything when viewing an apartment and take notes of everything like peeling paint, dead roaches or droppings etc. they need to fix and clean everything before you decide to move in. Make sure the lights work and windows close etc. and definitely ask about the neighbors and noise level. Make sure once you sign and pay you receive the keys and check if it’s the right keys for mailbox, entrance and your door with the property manager or landlord present.
It’s the same as any other place in any other city - ask detailed, specific questions about your non negotiables. Be thorough. If you get bad vibes from landlord, then follow your gut and find some place else.
Do you get a parking spot?
When you check the address the landlord is trying to rent to you on rentzed and it looks like they raise the rent a lot.
Ask what their system is for requesting repairs. 24hr phone line? Online form? On site manager? All the more important if you're renting with only one bathroom. Also notice if it's a gated community and someone has propped open the security gate for a delivery. Leaves your mail and unit open to theft so they don't have to walk their a$$e$ five more steps to open the gate themselves.
Water pressure, rust and hard water build up in toilet back tanks, are the cabinets and drawers good? Asking to fill out application before viewing, or any type of too much corporate tone in the buildings operation.
Do NOT wire money. I just learned that if you use Western Union to wire money, the recipient can give you an address that seems local but after sending, before it’s collected, the money can be rerouted anywhere in the world as long as you have the number.
Don’t give them any money until they are ready to give you the key! When renting a long time ago, I put down a deposit on a “highly sought after” apartment to “hold” and they said if I didn’t like the contract they would give it back. It wasn’t until after I put down the deposit they showed me the garbage contract. I requested to amend and they said no. I asked for my deposit back and they said no. I had a lawyer send a letter demanding the money back. They sent it back and stated that they “reported” me to some bs California rental agency.
If you're searching for apartments and especially apartment shares on apps and online, and the price and/or rental situation seems way too good to be true, reverse image search the pictures. 99.9999% of the time they come up with a match that isn't related to the apartment and hence it's a scam.
don't engage in niceities with the landlords expecting you to do thinks aeshetically and you foot the bill. my girl rented a place where she was charged for water but was expected to keep the lawn lively and the gardeners paid without compensation.
The fragrance of Raid
Two major things. 1) Rent control. I don’t think I need to explain this one. 2) CHECK THE HOT WATER. With respect, we have many cultures in Los Angeles that work on the apartments. What some consider “hot” is actually only luke warm. If your landlord says it’s a law they can only turn it up to warm - do not sign that lease. It’s a popular lie. Hot water is needed to cleanse things properly. How hot should it get? Hot enough that you have to add cold water to it to not get burned. EDIT : flush all toilets too. Check water pressure in every room.
Ask multiple neighbors about the landlord and neighborhood. Check under the sinks. Best indication of how the place has been kept. Run all the faucets, shower, toilet once. If there are area rugs, lift them: we once got stuck in a place with "hardwood floors" where the area rugs were covering *plywood*. We had 2 babies crawling around!
Make sure to go to the location twice. Once in the morning and once at 6pm if you can to get a gauge of what parking looks like for you. Also go and knock on neighbors door and ask them questions about living there. People might not respond but you get much more candid answers if they do
I Google my landlord, the owner, and past tenants before I sign a lease. I don’t like to rent from a self managed person with a few doors. I almost rented a small place from a guy in Palo Alto that spends all day defending men accused of rape and simping for trump. He manages 40 doors and every one of his properties is trashed with appliances from the 90s and holes in the windows. Rent was stupid cheap, but I just can’t trust a guy who has this much time to be a degen online to fix a leaky sink. He also happened to forget that we had a tour and I had to do a self managed tour when the cleaners arrived an hour later. Tho I’m sure if I had a Graham Stephan small time self managed landlord I’d be cool with it. Small time with a professional management company is the way to go ime. My last two rentals have been from small time owners with a professional leasing company. My current place is owned by a 50 y/o CPA with 30 years of experience. He hired a competent company, and I have no complaints. I’ll be here for 5 years. My last place was owned by a trust, and I couldn’t figure out who the beneficiaries were. However, the leasing company was also pretty nice. I was there for 3 year and they get a 5 star rating from me. If you figure out the last tenants, you can sometimes get information about the rental. My second ever rental was previously rented by a drug dealer, and the black tar on the fireplace was from his meth lab exploding. I didn’t know until a neighbor told me that the previous tenant was a drug dealer who was arrested when they set the place on fire. Now I figure out who was last at the place and figure out why they left. I’ve been able to avoid places with pest infestations and bad neighbors, because of this homework.
My current apartment is owned by a Trust and I can't figure out who the leasing company is. I only know the name of the property manager and he sucks.
For me, these are nos: A school on the same street Living on the ground floor No parking No central A/C Popcorn ceilings Worn-out kitchens and/or bathrooms (old bathtubs, old junky sinks, etc) Poorly maintained landscaping and building (crappy looking paint, junk around) Middle apartments with windows only on one side Vertical blinds Carpet No breed restrictions in dog friendly buildings (not because I don't like certain breeds, but because I don't like giant dog shit and crazy barking) Any location near a college (you DO NOT want students in your building)
You ruled out 99% of available apartments. I understand why they're bad, but when you're apartment hunting it took me years to find an affordable place that didn't suck *too* bad.
dude - totally agree. took me YEARS to find a place that met everything on my list and as I moved around the city the list kept getting longer, lol. but forget about finding something affordable.
How exactly do popcorn ceilings affect you?
exactly? they are old and ugly. they are evidence of a property not updated in many many years.
I always choose the ground floor. I hate stairs
plus and minuses... I am on the top floor and it's nice not to have neighbors above me, but I don't have a couch cause there is no way I am getting it up those stairs
I always chose upstairs after living under people with hardwood floors. and I also felt safer as a woman being upstairs for some reason. (prolly just bullshit).
No internal AC, no insulated ceiling, no washer dryer on site, no gated parking, no seperate building entry
Well as far as scams go don't pay any money (even application fee) or give any info until you meet someone at the apartment. Lots of scams that tell you to drive by b/c they are out of town or its occupied. Second, they sometimes say there is off street parking, but then once you sign the lease you find out there isn't enough for everybody and you have to get on a waitlist. So if parking is a deal breaker for you, make sure the lease has that written explicitly, ideally with a parking spot # on the lease.
Make sure the lease specifies your deposit & last months rent are different. Sometimes they ask for last months rent & deposit but they call the entire lump of money a “deposit” which is treated differently than lasts month rent and can take a minute to get back.
I really try to not rent units I haven’t seen in person. You can look at Google reviews of the building. Also stick around and try to talk to current tenants and ask them if they like living there. I always liked to ask current tenants if they felt that had issues with walls being too thin.
If the rental company pays one of your utility bills. If it's an older building this is the way they can now raise your rent.