How to Avoid Overpaying for a Home in Austin’s MarketIn a competitive market, it’s easy to feel pressure to move quickly when you find a home you like. However, making emotional
Dated: July 30 2020
Views: 214
Photo courtesy of The Bowie Apartments, Downtown Austin
“First, what is an apartment locator?”
Great question. An apartment locator is a licensed real estate agent who works on behalf of future renters to find them apartments. Apartment buildings have realized over time that marketing publicly is expensive and doesn’t always result in new tenants. Most apartments in Austin, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio (as well as many other large cities) would rather pass the marketing budget to the tenant in the form of renter concessions, aka the “6-weeks free,” “free parking spot,” etc. type of deals, and pay a finders fee to an agent. This way the apartment only pays for marketing when they have a client come from it.
Exclusive Deals
Since the apartment management companies enjoy the benefits of partnering with local agents, they offer exclusive deals that only agents can find. Agents who specialize in apartment rentals usually purchase access to a special database where apartments show lease rates of each unit they have available, exclusive concessions (I saw one that offered 2 months free + application fee waived for a 12 month lease), and their renter application acceptance criteria.
Saving Time Scheduling
Calling a dozen apartments to schedule tours is extremely time-consuming. You will find yourself likely talking with a call center before being transferred to a leasing agent who can schedule a walk-through. Allow me to sit on the phones for you and be your “one call” to schedule them all.
Virtual Tours
Most apartments only offer tours from 9am-6pm daily. If you work a day job, it’s tough to clock out of work and drive across town in Austin traffic to go see an apartment (with their latest schedule time being around 5:30pm). As an agent, I can take you on a Facetime walkthrough, or shoot a video, of your top selections, and you can do a final walkthrough of your favorite one. If you’re looking at moving to Austin from out of town, this could save you from having to make a decision based on professional promotional photos, or having to travel in to look at apartments.
Rebates
Did I already mention my service is free? Here’s the best part: I will even kickback $100 of my commission to you when you move in.* Use it to cover the application fee, a year of renter’s insurance, a few months of electricity, or maybe even a couple dinners out to celebrate. It’s cash, use it how you’d like.
Bonus
If you have any friends, family, coworkers, couple you met in the back of an Uber Pool, etc. who are looking to lease a new apartment, I will give you a $50 retail gift card (as per TREC restrictions) when they move in as a thank you (I still give them $100)!*
If you’re in the market to lease within the next 3 months, fill out my 2-minute form and I will start your search!
*Chasing Realty Group is sponsored by a TREC licensed real estate broker, operated by a TREC licensed real estate agent. Any rebate is subject to us being paid a locator referral fee and to the consent of the party the license holder represents in the transaction.*
Chase’s real estate interest sparked as a child, helping his dad repair his rental properties around Baton Rouge, LA. When Chase was 19, he began a marketing internship with a Baton Rouge commercial....
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