How To Advertise Month to Month Lease

[Art Maydan]

So I'm convinced that MTM leases are superior for the landlord, but how do you go about advertising these? People still seem to be most comfortable with 1-year leases. Would you say, "Month to Month with possibility of 1-year"? Or maybe "Month-to-Month with longer term renters preferred"? And if you go with a 1-year lease, do you ask for more rent?

Also, when listing on Zillow, which category do you use on the "Lease Duration" drop-down? The closest thing is "1 Month" which isn't the same as MTM. 

Thank you,

Art

[JD Martin]

Originally posted by @Brooklyn A.:

As a tenant, for now until I close again soon, I stay away from 2 types of properties. Keep in mind, I'm an A+, elite tenant with 4 years of verifiable rental history without a month late, or missed payment and I receive letters of recommendation from the last 2 PMs. (Funny thing about those letters of recommendation, they all state that,"...there have been no issues with the property" , yet each one of them make a security deposit claim for the full amount.) 

1. M2M agreements - won't even look at them.

2. Owner-Landlord represented properties - when I sue I want to be able to recover. Individual assets aren't difficult to seize by writ, but LLC/Inc.'s are easy.

Typically, a M2M signals a hobby-landlord that isn't "all-in" on their business and are subject to change at 30 days of notice. I command a higher standard. I also request a sample copy of your current lease before application. I want to see your lease before I decide to do business with you. I have been converted to a M2M at the end of a 1-yr term lease but moved out. The way I see it, is, I'll move on my terms and on my schedule. Not yours.

@Deanna McCormick A $250.00 Redecorating fee would be considered to be an unenforceable liquidated damage provision. By mandating the fee, it purports to waive the rights of the tenant to have such security deposit funds deducted for actual damages, and could be argued as discretionary maintenance performed by the owner of the dwelling.

 I've read your other posts. You sound like a professional tenant. Why else would an "elite" tenant need such considerations? And yes, I was also in the military and rented plenty of places. I never had a problem where I needed to sue anyone. I don't dispute that there are shady landlords but anyone that has such bouts of problems that they need such consideration is looking to see how they can steal from the margins. 

Plenty of professional landlords do month to month, or convert to month to month at the end of the lease. And as soon as I talked to you I know I'd be sending you down the road, elite status and all. Life is too short to deal with prima donna, PITA tenants. Funny thing I've learned is that if you deal with people in an honest and fair manner, you don't have to walk around with a chip on your shoulder and letters of recommendation in your pocket.