Many of the renters in the Gainesville market are looking for semester leases this time of year.  This can, and usually does, prove to be a very daunting and frustrating task.  While some complexes offer semester leases, they only offer a limited number so you have to act quickly when the lease term is offered.  Most renters don’t like to be in this situation and like to wait and see what else will come available.  This is a double-edged sword.  Some new options may open up or the existing offers will lease up in the same time leaving the renter with no options at all.  At this point, some renters will be tempted to sign a 12 month lease and attempt to sublet the apartment for the remaining months.  While this is not impossible, it is very difficult and time consuming.  Of course, the obvious downside to this scenario is that if the apartment doesn’t get sublet the original renter is responsible to pay the remainder of the lease whether they are living there or not.

The best advice that can be offered on how to handle this dillema is to act quickly when you find a complex offering semester leases.  Yes, another complex may start offering semester leases later, but at least you are settled and are no longer stressing to find an apartment.

This article was forwarded to me and is well worth reading by any individual property owner/investor in Tampa.

There are always con artists looking for new ways to part honest people from their money. It appears that they have come up with one targeting unsuspecting, if not desperate, landlords.

Take a look at http://www.modbee.com/business/scam/story/220406.html

A similar scam targets roommates and usually begins by being contacted by someone out of the country who will send authentic looking checks or money orders in excess of the amount needed. They then ask that the excess be sent back to them only to find out later that their checks/money orders are fake.

A vacant apartment or room is painul enough, but sending money that you don’t have to a crook, now that would hurt!