Subletting Your Old Apartment

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by Bill Hinson.

If you're moving and your lease hasn't run out, there can be some pretty stiff penalties. To avoid these fees, the best option is to sublet your apartment to someone else for the duration of the lease.

First, draw up a list of selling points and facts about the apartment. There are several things that will go into this list, but the most common are:

* Amount of rent
* Deposit necessary
* Utility costs
* Apartment specs (# of bedrooms and bathrooms)
* Size of bedrooms
* Duration of sublet
* Roommates
* Sublet location
* Nearby attractions
* Nearby cities/employment areas
* Any other selling point about the apartment

Now that you've got your list, you need an ad to place in the local paper, on community bulletin boards and other places. Make sure you include all the items of the list and make the ad as attractive as possible without being untrue. Once the ad is written, you can post it online through Sublet.com or similar apartment rental listing to make sure that your add is quite visible in online apartment searches . You can also use traditional routes like newspapers.

Now that the ad is posted, you'll have to show the apartment. There may be quite a few interested parties; make sure the apartment is neat and clean and set up showing times as best you can. Take into account your schedule and the potential renter's needs as well. Many people prefer to show the apartment on a single day, with each viewer coming at a specified time.

Make sure you give an accurate depiction of the apartment while showing it. If there are detractions to the apartment, make sure you make everyone aware of them, don't leave them to be found later, this will increase your risk of having a bad experience. Paint a realistic picture of the place, with all the good and bad qualities.

Prepare all the necessary paperwork ahead of time. You should have a copy of your rental agreement, a sublet agreement and any other pertinent paperwork handy during the process in case anyone needs to see it. The sublet agreement comes in handy if you have an interested party that wants to get the ball rolling immediately.

Chances are that you'll have more than one interested party. That means you have to choose between them. Choose a subletter that has commendable references showing that they pay bills on time, don't damage property, annoy the neighbors and anything else you can think of the make the process less painful. Always remember, the lease is in your name, no matter who is living in the apartment, choose a subletter wisely.

About the Author:
ApartmentLinks is an acclaimed apartment rental agency helping customers find an apartment of their dreams.

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