In life, everything is negotiable, including your rent. Many renters might tremble at confronting the dark landlord ogre, but with a little research, some tips on negotiating, and a little moxie, you can stand a fighting chance at trimming your monthly rent check:

• The landlord will quote what he says is “the market rate,” but do your own research. Compare rental rates using sites like Rentometer, and Craigslist. And then hit the pavement and talk to the neighbors! Nothing beats good human intelligence. They can give you inside scoops that will never show up in a database. You can also talk to your local tenant’s counsel for more rental rate info.
• Check the falling and rising rent trends at What The Neighbor’s Pay.
• Highlight your pluses.
• Bring your backup data to bring out if the landlord’s offer is higher than market rate
• Negotiate a lower rate for signing a longer lease.
• Be ready to haggle. If they landlord can’t budge on price, try for concessions like free parking.
• Always be prepared to walk away. If you have no other options, you have no negotiating power.

Have you ever haggled with your landlord for lower rent or concessions? How did it go? Leave your thoughts in the comments.

How To Negotiate Your Rent in 2010 | A 10-Step Guide [Software Advice]

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