Adam Bothun

Extended travel is one of life’s great pleasures, but paying full rent on an empty apartment is not. Whether you are spending three months abroad, taking a seasonal work assignment, or backpacking through a national park for the summer, subletting a room while you travel lets someone else cover your rent while you are gone. … Read more

Month to month renting sits somewhere between the security of a full lease and the uncertainty of no lease at all. Your lease rolls forward one month at a time, and either side can end the arrangement with proper notice. For renters whose plans are up in the air, that flexibility can be worth its … Read more

When your lease is coming to an end, staying put usually means signing something. What many renters do not realize is that “something” could be either a lease extension or a lease renewal, and the two are not the same. Choosing the wrong one can lock you into terms you did not want or cost … Read more

Buying your first home is one of the most exciting milestones in life, and for renters it often comes with a complicated twist: the lease you are still paying on. The good news is that with some planning, you can buy a home without wrecking your finances on overlapping housing costs. This guide walks you … Read more

Landing a great new job is exciting until you remember the lease you signed eight months ago. Now you are staring at a twelve-month commitment in one city and a career opportunity in another, and the penalty for breaking the lease could run into thousands of dollars. Before you panic, know this: almost every tenant … Read more

Most renters wait for the renewal notice to land in their mailbox before thinking about next year. That is a mistake. The renters who get the best renewal terms are the ones who start the conversation months early, while the landlord is still wondering whether they will stay. An early renewal negotiation flips the power … Read more

When your renewal notice arrives, the decision looks simple: stay and pay the increase, or move and find something cheaper. In practice, it is one of the trickiest cost comparisons a renter faces. Moving has a long list of hidden expenses, and renewing has hidden costs of its own. The right answer depends on real … Read more

Most renters treat the listed rent as a fixed price, like the tag on a box of cereal. It is not. Rent is the opening number in a negotiation, and landlords negotiate far more often than you would guess. Every month a unit sits empty costs them money, and a reliable tenant at a slightly … Read more

Signing a lease feels like the finish line after weeks of apartment hunting, and that sense of relief is exactly when mistakes happen. Landlords know you are tired of touring units, and some will nudge you to sign on the spot. The best thing you can do is slow down. A lease signing done carefully … Read more