4 Rental “Buzzwords” to Watch Out For

September 18, 2014 Writing Tips

You can’t blame some landlords for trying to be creative with their ads. There’s a fine line between deceptive advertising and “good” advertising, and if you’re a renter with a potential landlord with a marketing background, learn to read between the lines before you waste everyone’s time (including yours) setting up a viewing. It’s a landlord’s job to “sell” their rental property because every day a property is vacant, the landlord is losing money.

However, if you go with a reputable property management company instead of a private landlord, you can rest a little easier knowing they’re often held more accountable. Before you even read the description of a property, take a look at the photos. Is the fishbowl lens used, or are there more photos of the exterior than the interior? That’s a sign that the interior might need so much “fluffing” because it’s not that attractive.

Here are a few of the most commonly used buzzwords in renting that might be a red flag:

1. “Charming”

Charming is technical a fine word that should be appealing, but in real estate speak it means “small.” That might be totally okay with some renters who are looking to downsize, especially considering the increased interest in tiny properties lately. Just check the square footage to get a realistic idea of the size.

2. “Vintage”

Vintage can be a great thing as long as the property has been updated regularly. However, if it hasn’t, you might be stuck with orange shag carpeting, poor insulation and wood floors that have seen much better days. Ask about the most recent updates and remember that older homes by natures have higher utility bills.

3. “Fixer Upper”

This shouldn’t be a word used in any type of rental since it’s the owner’s responsibility to make sure a property is livable. If you spot this in a rental listing, run. Maybe the landlord is just trying to make a few bucks by renting the property while simultaneously trying to sell it. Either way, it’s not your job as a renter to fix up anything.

4. “Walkable”

It depends entirely on what the property is walkable to. If it’s to a school in a great school district, a farmer’s market a few blocks away or a safe park a couple of minutes by foot, that might be great news. If it’s walkable to the most raucous bars in the area or directly across the street from a city’s football stadium, not so much.