Rockies Rentals

We’ve all had one … the Roommate From Hell (RFH) <insert crack of thunder here>! But did you know that we have all been an RFH at some point?  Now before you start saying “What? Me? Never! I am perfect in every way”, just consider that for every roommate that hated having even one dish in the sink, there was another roommate who preferred to wash a whole sink of dishes all at once.

My RFH: In the days prior to MP3 players, my RFH would take my CD Walkman and a bunch of my CDs without permission.  The first time it happened, I assumed someone had broken in since my CD player was the only thing of any value in our apartment.  While I was ripping through the apartment trying to figure out if anything else was missing, she sauntered in and had the nerve to complain about my taste in music since I didn’t have any CDs she liked. When she would be late for work (which was often), she would tell the manager it was my fault because I didn’t wake her up.  Hey chick, I’m not your mother!

Her Side? She’d probably tell you that I didn’t like to share my things, I had terrible taste in music, and that I wouldn’t wake her up for work.  But I digress …

The quickest way to develop a hellish living arrangement is to not discuss what is bothersome to you.  I’m not suggesting you and your roomies should hold hands and sing Kumbaya – But if it drives you up the wall when they put the empty egg shells back in the egg carton, just say “Hey – what’s up with the egg shells?”.  Then you can have a mature conversation, both sides can express their view, then a compromise can be found.  Wow — isn’t being an adult hard?

Do you have a Roommate From Hell Story you’d like to share?

Add a comment below or send it to us.

So, you think you have finally found your dream home (hopefully by searching the Rockies Rentals Listings).  You’ve spoken to the landlord on the phone and everything seems to be in order –  perfect location, the rent is in your price range, and it has all the features you desire.  Great!  Now all you have to do is convince the Landlord that they should pick you over the other 50 applicants.

• Be professional: Would you show up for a job interview late and wearing ripped jeans? The same goes for meeting a potential landlord. Look presentable, arrive on time, speak to the landlord in a respectful manner. In the event that you would show up to an interview late and wearing ripped jeans, you’d better start reading some of our articles on landing the perfect job.
• Be Prepared: Bring a copy of the ad, a notepad and pen for taking notes, checks for paying a deposit, a camera for taking pictures.
• Prove you can afford it: Ask your employer for a Letter of Employment. Bring a copy of your last few pay stubs. Bring a copy of last year’s tax return.
• Prove you are responsible: A copy of your free credit report is easy to get. A clean credit report will show that you take your financial reponsibilities seriously.
• Do not ‘diss your previous landlord. It does not matter if he was a slumlord that absconded with your deposit — now is not the time to vent about how you hate his guts.
• Don’t Beg: Begging denotes desperation.  It’s irritating when kids and dogs do it — tenants should avoid it as well.
  You say (in your whiniest voice) “But I really need this place. I’ll do anything!”.
  Not-So-Good Landlords hear “Charge me anything. Treat me like crap.  I’ll take it”.
  Good Landlords will think “Hmm … I smell desperation.  I’ll bet their is something wrong with this tenant.  Otherwise, they wouldn’t be having such a hard time finding a place. I’d better look for someone else”.
• Be Prepared to Make a Decision: Are you interested in the place or not? Does it meet your needs? If you plan on continuing your search, you might miss out on a place that met your needs while you search for something else. That being said, don’t agree to rent a place unless you are sure it is ‘the one’.
• Follow Up: Contact your references and let them know someone might be calling them. Contact the landlord a few days later and ask if they have made a decision. If they have not chosen you, ask them why. If they give you a reason, listen to them and fix the problem!

Did using these tips help you find your dream home?

Let us know! We’d love to hear from you!

I once new a girl that had a super-spacious apartment in downtown Banff.  It was this great character building with huge vaulted ceilings and massive windows.  If my memory serves, I believe it even had a clawfoot tub.  I loved her apartment — it was gorgeous!  She paid a total of $500 per month.  I always thought it was the best deal in town, and then I learned that there are quite a few of these great deals around, you’ve just got to know where to look.

Due to the housing shortage in Banff/Canmore, it is quite common for people to take the very first place available for fear that they may be sleeping on the streets if they don’t act quickly. Before you rush into signing a lease, take some time to reflect on how to find the great places in town.

• Prioritize: What do you want? What do you need? What can you not live without? Would you prefer lower rent or private space? Do have have to be near your workplace, or can you walk/ride/bus it to work?
• Review your expections: If you are hoping to find a spacious apartment overlooking the river, with no lease, $600/month, utilities included, that allows pets, and is fully furnished — well, you need to get used to disappointment. Review the Cost of Living for the Bow Valley and set your expectations accordingly.
• Get the word out: Tell everyone you know that you need a place to live — tell your friends, bring it up at the watercooler, tell the guy who is pumping your gas. It’s a small town — the first good lesson to learn is how beneficial word of mouth marketing can be.
• Let Karma prevail: There are landlords that don’t care about money and just want someone responsible to take care of their investment. In return, they rent out some amazing properties for next to nothing. There is no secret to getting in on this sweet deal — be responsible. Have a good credit rating; do well at your job; be a good person; give back to your community; treat others’ property as though it were you own; and, most of all, be a good tenant.

Did using these tips help you find the perfect apartment?

Let us know! We’d love to hear from you!

Good places are hard to find, but they do exist.  The question is: How do you find them?

When it comes to finding suitable living arrangements in the Bow Valley, the landlords have the upper hand. When vacancy is low, demand (and thus prices) are high. It’s a simple case of supply and demand.

How do I find a place to live?

• Local Newspaper: There are 3 local newspapers distributed in the Bow Valley (Rocky Mountain Outlook, Banff Crag & Canyon, Canmore Leader). We suggest you make sure to pick one up as soon as it hits newstands and start calling. Even waiting until the end of the day will result in disappointment.
• Consider putting your own ad in the paper so people can find you.
• Try kijiji.ca in the ‘Housing’ section.
• Check the bulletin board at the library, grocery stores, and coffee shops (and consider putting up your own poster).
• Of course, search the Rockies Rentals Listings (but we presume you were smart enough to figure that one out already, so we left it until last).  If you create your own listings at Rockies Rentals, there is a nice ‘Print Page’ feature that will make it really easy to create posters to display all over town.

Did using these tips help you find the perfect apartment?

Let us know! We’d love to hear from you!