Finding a Rental Home in Central Florida
We understand that families sometimes have a difficult time finding a rental home in Central Florida. They face a number of challenges.
Most Realtors don’t work in the rental home segment of the real estate market. The reason for that is that neither landlords nor tenants are willing to compensate Realtors for their time and expertise. Unfortunately, that leaves families looking for a rental home in Central Florida pretty much on their own.
Our Realtors and brokerage do not work with rental homes nor in property management. We regret that we can not assist people looking for homes to rent. We hope this resource is helpful.
When you are ready to purchase a home or know someone looking to buy or sell, we would appreciate the opportunity to earn your business!
Rent to Own
We’re often asked about rent-to-own. That’s always a bad deal financially for would be homebuyers with one exception. Home Partners of American has a lease with right to purchase program that is a good deal some homebuyers.
Best Place to Check for Rental Homes
- Realtor.com is updated regularly with data directly from the MLS. There, you can find the direct contact information for the REALTOR® and/or property management company that has that rental listing.
- HotPads seems to be the hottest thing lately to look for rental homes and apartments. I’ve found their website to be pretty good.
- Drive through some of the communities that you would like to live in. Some homeowners don’t advertise online and just put a sign in the yard.
- There are other websites where homeowners advertise their rental home directly. A Google search (fine tune that for your city) reveals several websites worth checking. Reminder: If you see a rental listed by a brokerage, Realty, or REALTOR®, double check Realtor.com linked above for accuracy.
Fraud Alert!
Craigslist often has homes listed for rent by someone who is not the owner of that property. The person is attempting to perpetrate fraud. We recommend prospective tenants avoid Craigslist unless you know you are dealing with an established real estate company or licensee. Always see the home in person first and ask for ID before signing a lease and paying any money. A lease agreement is a contract for exchange of two things of equal value, the rights to the property for money. (Not legal advice, just saying). You have the right to know who you are entering into that agreement with and giving your money to.
Renting Vs. Buying
When renting, it is often easiest to work directly with the REALTOR® who has the rental listing. Buying a home is a larger financial commitment, and a more complex and permanent transaction. So, it’s better to have a REALTOR® represent you on the buyer side to help find the right home, negotiate for you and help with the details contract to close.
Tenants’ Rights and Responsibilities in Florida
You can learn more about the rights and responsibilities of both landlords and tenants in Florida at Florida Landlord Tenant Law Summary.