Regardless of where you reside, finding a pet friendly house is not easy when hunting for an apartment. However, if you are internet savvy, you can use the web to look for pet friendly apartments near you. Even if it might seem complicated on the surface, finding an apartment that is pet friendly is much easier if you have the right information.
If you have been apartment hunting for a while with no luck, you should keep reading. Here are some tips that will help you to find a pet friendly apartment:
Use the Internet
Since people started using the internet, it is much easier to find the best apartment for your needs. Moreover, it is much easier to find a property owner that will agree to take in your pets. Websites such as Apartments.com and Craigslist make it easier for people to narrow down their apartment searches.
Therefore, you can search for pet-friendly apartments only on Craigslist. You can also filter your search parameters on Apartment.com and Trulia to end up with pet friendly apartments only.
With the internet at your disposal, you do not have to worry about not finding the ideal apartment for you and your pet. It might require a little patience and time but you will find the perfect place.
Do you have a Support Animal?
If your loving pet is also a support animal, it would be nearly impossible for any landlord to turn you down. It might even be illegal for a landlord to deny you an apartment because you have a support animal. For this reason, it would be prudent to research support animals and figure out how to get certification for your pet.
No matter how hard it is to believe, animals can help us when we are going through tough times. An emotional support dog provides emotional, physical, and mental stability. Support animals are important to their owners; this means that landlords must accept them. All that you have to do is prove that you need the animal for support.
Do you want your pet to be an emotional support animal (ESA)? You should know that no doctor is going to give you an ESA if you do not meet the requirements for one. If you think that you need a support animal, you should talk to your therapist about it; maybe you have crippling panic attacks and a pet would be a big help. With an ESA, no landlord can deny your application for an apartment.
Offer a Bigger Security Deposit and Get a Recommendation Letter
Are you struggling to find a pet friendly apartment? You should consider offering a bigger security deposit as a show of good faith to your landlord. When you offer to put up a larger deposit, the property owner might be more willing to rent out the apartment to you. He can use the extra money to repair any damage that your dog might cause.
Moreover, you might have to ask your previous landlord to write a recommendation letter. In this letter, your previous landlord can vouch for your dog and its good behavior. Such a letter can make a future landlord more comfortable with your dog, even if he does not usually rent to pet owners. In fact, if your pet is well-behaved, you should start gathering recommendation letters from every landlord.
Approach Private Landlords
In most instances, a private landlord might be willing to open his property to pet owners. On the other hand, an apartment that is under a rental agency or management company will stick to its policies, making it harder to convince the person in charge. You should approach a private landlord because he might be easier to persuade.
If the private landlord is a bit hesitant to allow your dog to live on his property, you can always introduce him to the dog. Who can resist a furry animal with cute eyes? Whether you have a dog or cat, introducing your pet to a potential landlord might work in your favor. Your cute pet might convince the property owner to let you live on his property.
Size Matters
No landlord wants to discriminate against any pet, but some dog breeds inspire fear. For instance, if you have a large Rottweiler or St. Bernard, your landlord might refuse to budge on his no-pet policy. When such large dogs are involved, most landlords fear for their safety and that of other tenants.
When looking for an apartment for you and your furry friend, you should consider this information. In fact, some apartments have strict guidelines about the type of pets that they accept. Before you take a look at local apartments, you need to know that the size of your pet matters.
According to some landlords, your pet must weigh between twenty and fifty pounds to be accepted. This means that a bigger pet will not be welcome. You need to consider this when looking for a new apartment for you and your pet. Do not celebrate too fast when you find a pet friendly apartment – you should read the apartment’s policies to find out whether your pet is welcome.
Conclusion
As you can see, finding a pet friendly apartment is difficult but not impossible. If you want to move to a new apartment, you should start your apartment search early. The earlier you start apartment hunting, the better your chances will be.
