My landlord just lowered my rent $250 bucks

Trooper_IHB

Trooper_IHB

New member
HA ! I told my landlord I have found a place in Valencia and would be moving out at the end of my lease (End of December). I mentioned to him that the rent was $500 bucks cheaper in the new place. He seemed fine.



THEN he called me today and asked again how much I would be saving with the new place. When I told him $500, he said "If I drop your rent 250.00, will you stay?"



WOW ! From $2000 a month to $1750. And THIS is the same guy who tried to raise me $100 last year (I refused and he capitulated).



Now I have to make a decision....go for the smaller, newer apt closer to work, and still save $250 a month (on top of the new rental rate).....or stay and avoid the hassle of the move. Lots of pros and cons on both sides, but I wanted to post this so you can see what's going on in the L.A. rental market. That's why I've posted it in the Economy section.



Oh, I suppose it doesn't help that 2 out of 4 of his properties in my complex are vacant. He already advertised them both for $1850 and has since dropped them to $1650 after one month of advertising. They are both slightly smaller than mine without central air and heat.



Pros for my place now: Garage, wood floors, post and beam beauty. Quiet for the most part, tried and true. Wouldn't have to change all utilities, address, etc.

Pros for new place: Pool, walk to movies and food, closer to work, new building and a TUB. My place now only has a shower. Kinda tired of that. $500 less than what I'm paying now, still $250 less than the "new price".



Now get this. My place rented for $2200 before I rented it. Woo doggy. If I can squeeze $50 more bucks out of him I might just stay.
 
Hmm... I'm thinking - ask him if he will do that new price (or lower) for a month-to-month to give you time to mull it over and also so you can keep an eye on the other apartments and see if their rates drop even further. If he agrees, maybe do that for a bit longer to see how you really feel. If he won't, I think I'd walk. You can't beat being close to work. If anything, it's worth paying extra for conveniences like that so having that convenience plus having it cheaper sounds unbeatable. Well let us know what happens.
 
12 month lease troop? 250 bucks a month is 3,000 for the year. Not chump change, plus you'll save a bit on gas if you are closer to work.



I say go for the move!!
 
What area of LA do you live in now? Where do you work?

I am very familiar with LA traffic as I currently live in Long Beach and commute to Los Feliz everyday for grad school. I still wouldn't want to live in LA, though... too crowded.

That being said.... I also hate hate hate moving.
 
Maestro, yes...it would be a 13 month lease in the new place, 12 month in the old Hollywood Place. I know....$3000 bucks is a lot of money. I did forget to add *and this is a big one* that I also get one month free in the new place....so $3000 + $1525 = $4525.



Moving costs will probably be around $500.



I live in Hollywood now, and just recently got transferred....so my commute takes me to Mission Hills, which is 17 miles via 101/170/5/118. It takes 40 minutes in traffic each way, 20 minutes with no traffic....so it's not horrible.



New commute would be 9 miles and about 12 minutes with no traffic....and no idea yet how long WITH traffic. It could possibly be the same amount of time b/c Valencia/Santa Clarita is pretty densely populated now.



So the commutes are really not THAT different, but Valencia has the edge.



I do work a side job in Hollywood, and when that's up and running I'm 5 minutes away. I'd be 30 mins away with no traffic if commuting to it from Valencia. I usually work it 3-4 days a week for about 7 months of the year.



I do not like that I wouldn't have a garage...that's probably the biggest con. There aren't any storage facilities in the gated parking structure either...not that I have a lot of crap to store, but the it's nice storing cases of water and the TV boxes, etc down there.



SoCal, you are right about the amenities. The new place beats the old place there. I have actually found an apt in Valencia and put a $300 deposit to hold it until December (can you believe they are willing to hold it vacant until then ?!) So I wouldn't need to do the "month to month" while looking...b/c I've already found the perfect place.



NorCal, I'm sure he would take $1700. I think the only way I'll stay is if he'll do $1650 (I feel like I'm the guy at the computer in the Priceline commercial, you know...when William Shatner calls him a "namby pamby" when he won't negotiate lower) So maybe I'll even ask for $1600 ! ;)
 
I say move. You know how much OE I can buy with $4500?



Pick sort of unrelated:



<img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/133/387029606_e57a7fdcbb.jpg" alt="" />
 
[quote author="Trooper" date=1224450232]Maestro, yes...it would be a 13 month lease in the new place, 12 month in the old Hollywood Place. I know....$3000 bucks is a lot of money. I did forget to add *and this is a big one* that I also get one month free in the new place....so $3000 + $1525 = $4525.



Moving costs will probably be around $500.



I live in Hollywood now, and just recently got transferred....so my commute takes me to Mission Hills, which is 17 miles via 101/170/5/118. It takes 40 minutes in traffic each way, 20 minutes with no traffic....so it's not horrible.



New commute would be 9 miles and about 12 minutes with no traffic....and no idea yet how long WITH traffic. It could possibly be the same amount of time b/c Valencia/Santa Clarita is pretty densely populated now.



So the commutes are really not THAT different, but Valencia has the edge.



I do work a side job in Hollywood, and when that's up and running I'm 5 minutes away. I'd be 30 mins away with no traffic if commuting to it from Valencia. I usually work it 3-4 days a week for about 7 months of the year.



I do not like that I wouldn't have a garage...that's probably the biggest con. There aren't any storage facilities in the gated parking structure either...not that I have a lot of crap to store, but the it's nice storing cases of water and the TV boxes, etc down there.



SoCal, you are right about the amenities. The new place beats the old place there. I have actually found an apt in Valencia and put a $300 deposit to hold it until December (can you believe they are willing to hold it vacant until then ?!) So I wouldn't need to do the "month to month" while looking...b/c I've already found the perfect place.



NorCal, I'm sure he would take $1700. I think the only way I'll stay is if he'll do $1650 (I feel like I'm the guy at the computer in the Priceline commercial, you know...when William Shatner calls him a "namby pamby" when he won't negotiate lower) So maybe I'll even ask for $1600 ! ;)</blockquote>


I would bargain harder with your landlord. Move if he does not come down to your level. You will recoup the moving cost in 2 years. I'm tempting to do similar thing myself. I would be able to save $5000/year.
 
My two cents - move. Change is good. You'll have a new place, closer to work, pool, etc.

Plus, that extra $250 per month is a lot! You can do a lot with $250 a month.

Let us know what you decide to do.
 
hassle of moving, garage, side job close, current place has character. plus, valencia versus hollywood? puhleeze.



negotiate current place down, but stay central.
 
The fact that half of his units are empty AND he has not even tried to give you a decrease in rent to keep you happy = you need to bargain much harder to stay. The guy seems pretty lame for a landlord - he obviously has the units priced way too high and cannot find tenants. He doesn't treat you like the queen you are - paying that high priced rent - way over what he is currently asking for and what he STILL CANNOT GET. His rents are not attracting renters b/c they are not reasonably priced.



The savings of gas will probably be a couple of hundred dollars if you reduce your commute. I think it might be time for a change.



Play hardball and tell him you need rent reduced 500/month and you want a month-to-month lease. And start packing b/c I really don't think this guy is going to "get it" until he's had more prolonged vacancies in his units.



Good luck and keep us posted!
 
Your new place is only $1500? Are you sure there's nothing wrong with it? If you're confidant that it's a good place, I say you move. Saving 2-3K is like buying a brand new 52 inch LCD tv. Personally I've lived in 4 different places in the past 5 years.



1. The current spot is clean, spacious, and nice. But the location is definitely less convenient. So I'm just okay with it.

2. The last spot is smaller and older. But I miss being centrally located.

3. The place before that simply wasn't in a good location.

4. And the first place simply had unbearable noise issues.



Looking back, as long as the place is livable, the most important thing is location. Price didn't really matter because they were all within $100 of each other.

And moving is a big hassle, but use the money you're saving and hire some good movers.
 
Troop, I'd stay, if traffic will be a factor. You'll be with the rest of the world on the 5, down through the 14 merge, every day. Plus, how far off the 5 would you be in Valencia? That, no garage, and the side job distance would compel me to stay. Then again, I am not sure which shift you work, so traffic my be a non-issue, which would potentially change the entire equation. For me, traffic-related impacts to quality of life (anything over a 20 minute commute, door-to-door) would be an almost insurmountable obstacle to moving.
 
I agree with CM, and furthermore, one of the lovely things about renting is that if your job moves you can move with it (most of the time)...but you can improve your quality of life immensely by cutting down a Commute, plus, the cost of Car insurance goes down, your Car holds more value, less Tires/maintenance and if you can live close enough you won't even need a Car at all through the week...



With all the savings you could almost quit your side job Troop!!
 
Peter, I don't particularly care for the neighborhoods "really close" to my work. I work nights now, so I am opposite the commute (I'll be going to Valencia when everyone else is leaving). When I work days, it will be a different story.



So this is what I did yesterday. My landlord texted me about something he fixed in my bathroom (I'm in Phoenix right now) so I texted him back offering a one year, signed leased if he would go $1600 (and William Shatner says, "NOW you're negotiating!")



I haven't heard back yet. I give it a 50/50 chance and will keep you all posted.



Otherwise, I'm moving to Valencia. The new Apt. building is about 5 minutes off the 5 fwy, so not bad.
 
Sorry for the thread hijack... I was surfing South OC rentals last night and it seems like rental rates for many commercial complexes have taken a nose dive in the last few months. I'm seeing 1br's at $100-150 off what they cost a year ago. I'm even seeing what appear to be reductions at IAC properties! Holy smokes!
 
Troop



Good luck with your decision.

Personally driving is "dead time" so the less the better.

Also for me a garage is a must. Maybe look around some more for a place with

the goodies you want. Also I agree with others. Change is a good thing.

You meet new people and get some different surroundings. Humans are creatures

of habit and sometimes a new enviroment really is a good change for the better.



My IAC is getting more vacant as we speak. Saw several neighbors moving out this weekend.

Once again I have no Next Door Neighbor. In the 2 years I have been in my IAC. Next door has been vacant all but about 3 months. I just looked on Craigslist. My IAC Unit is on there for

200 hundred less than what I am paying. So rents are coming WAY down here in Irvine.
 
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