Billy just signed a lease with a private owner…and then the following year, the private owner decided to stop renting to him.
It is not unusual for an owner to want to move back into their property. They might also decide they want to let a family member move into the property or sell their house altogether.
This happens more often than you might think.
In fact, what happened to Billy, also happened to one of his friends who was renting a house from a private owner in Center City Philadelphia.
What Does Private Owner Mean?
A private owner is an individual who owns and rents out four or fewer homes or apartments (usually one or two units). They can also be referred to as a For Rent By Owner.
What Is the Best Place To Find Private Landlords?
The best place to find private landlords is generally on websites like Zillow, Hotpads, and even Apartments.com. (Generally, if you scroll to the bottom of apartments.com, individual landlord listings will appear.) However, be very careful of scams. Do your own research.
What Are the Advantages Of a Private Owner Rental?
Possible advantages include:
- more personal relationship, and
- less formal approval process.
However, the disadvantages (below) may outweigh these factors.
What Are the Disadvantages of Renting From a Private Owner?
Possible disadvantages include:
- lack of amenities,
- lack of emergency service,
- unlikely snow plow or landscaping service offered,
- lack of improvements / upgrades to the apartment, and
- increased chance of scam listing.
What To Consider When Looking For Private Owner in Northeast Philadelphia?
If you are looking to rent an apartment in Northeast Philadelphia, before proceeding with renting from a private landlord, you should consider renting directly from Fidelity Management Communities. (If you are reading this blog, you’ve already found our website. Just call the phone number in the upper right corner when you are ready.)
Check out the main advantages of renting directly from us below.
Advantages of Renting From Fidelity Management
There are many advantages to renting from Fidelity Management:
1) Amazing Locations Residents are guaranteed to get the best locations in the Northeast. Check us out on the map. We are in the heart of Bustleton and Somerton neighborhoods within the Northeast.
2) Verified listings (no fear of scam)ย When you call us up directly, a real rental consultant answers the phone (sitting in a real model apartment), and answer any questions you may have. They will take the time to walk you through the entire process. Check out our business hours in the upper right.
3) Professional Management (Family Operated) When renting from an individual landlord, it is likely not their full-time job. What happens if you call this private landlord up while they are away on vacation or in the middle of working their day job? Do they really know how to handle complex maintenance issues? Whereas with Fidelity Management, you get a professionally managed community that has been family operated for over 50 years.
4) High-Tech Resident Accessible Appย Not all apartments are the same. In nearly all of our communities, residents get a custom phone app they can use to see a real-time video surveillance feed of the perimeter of their building and grounds. An extremely sophisticated, easy-to-use smartphone app offers residents peace of mind and comfort. This is just one of many examples of unique differentiators at Fidelity Management.
5) Swimming Pool Each Northeast Philadelphia Fidelity Management community has a swimming pool with umbrellas, chairs and chaises at no additional cost. You likely won’t get this renting from a private landlord.
6) Private Balcony Every apartment comes with a private balcony. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the breeze. This a rare, highly desired feature.
7) Sound Control Renting from an individual, you don’t know what kind of noise problems you could be getting. At Fidelity Management, enjoy the quiet and comfort that comes with concrete floors and ceilings.
8) Central Heating and Air ย Enjoy the style and comfort that comes with central heating and air vents. No window hanging A/C units here.
9) Real, On-Staff Maintenance – At Fidelity Management, all of our communities have a dedicated, highly skilled maintenance staff ready to assist. With a private owner/landlord, they usually need to call a third party and arrange for such services.
10) 24/7 Emergency Service you can call a professional management company anytime for emergency requests. If renting from a private landlord, what happens if you call and they are sleeping? Does the private landlord have a dedicated HVAC technician that can come out late at night?
Lawn and snow care removal, online rent payment options, large spacious apartments, responsive maintenance, beautiful greenery, and ample parking, are just a few of the other reasons you might want to choose a Fidelity Management community.
Give us a call by clicking the phone icon in the upper right corner of this page or, if it’s after hours, fill out the contact us form.
Your Choice
While we certainly do not want to discourage you from checking out private landlords on your own, we think it is worth looking at our communities as your first stop. Unlike other professionally-managed communities, we offer the added personal touch that one can only find in a family-owned and privately-managed business.
Our apartment communities are award-winning and centrally located in the heart of Northeast Philadelphia. Check out the Ambassador Apartments in Northeast Philadelphia and Park Place One Apartments just a 6-minute drive away, directly across from Pennypack Park in Northeast Philadelphia.
Good luck with your search! You know where to find us, if and when you are ready!