租房一族不可不知：如何和房東打交道
In few tight markets, where there are more renters than apartments, it’s very unlikely that you will get a decent deal. A bit smarter way while negotiating a deal is to find a way to gain upper hand by using some out of box strategies. However, you must do your homework before negotiating a deal with your landlord.
在供不應求的市場中，租客永遠比合適的公寓多，想用合適的價位租到稱心的房子沒那么容易。稍微聰明點的辦法無疑是不按常理出牌，找到個方法獲得主控權，這樣才能把價格談下來。無論如何，在和房東講價之前都別忘了做點功課。
1. Sign up for a long term lease:
簽署長期合同
When a landlord has to rent out a vacant apartment, he loses a lot in broker fees, cleaning costs, and transaction costs. All that can be recovered if you can convince him that you will be staying for more than couple of years. Highlight these points while making a deal with the landlord.
房東要租房時，他會損失一大筆錢，比如代理費，清潔費以及交易費。但是如果你說服他，告知他你會連著租好幾年，這筆費用就可以賺回來了。強調這一點就能跟房東講價了。
2. Get ready to pay several months in advance:
準備好預付幾個月的租金
Some landlords prefer to receive large sums of money and may be willing to provide discount, if you can pay a couple of months of rent in advance. He can use that money on several things that he may have delayed due to insufficient funds. From a landlord’s perspective, it is better to rent an apartment as he may be losing out money by keeping it vacant.
一些房東比較喜歡一次性收一大筆錢，這樣也會給你打點折。如果你能提前預付幾個月的租金，他就能拿這筆錢做幾件事，這樣就會解決財政危機。從房東的角度來說，與其把房子空關，倒不如租出去。
3. Let your landlord know about your available options:
讓房東知道你有好幾個選擇
Just like an offer in hand that can help you to ask for a better pay packet from your current employer, it may be much easier to negotiate with landlords when you have some options in hand. Use this strategy as leverage to build a strong case in front of your landlord. If the apartment has been vacant for a long time, then make your landlord realize that it would be fruitful to negotiate a deal, else it will be an additional cost on his part.
手上有糧，心中不慌。就好比你手中有個offer，就能問老板要更好的薪資，如果你讓房東知道自己現在有幾個選擇，砍價起來就更方便啦。在房東面前把這個方法當成杠桿來用吧。如果房子空關很久了，就讓房東意識到從他角度來說多出了哪些費用，好好的砍砍價吧。
4. Do more research:
多做研究
You can go online and check if there is any better deal available on any rental website. Check out what other landlords are charging for the same space. This information is available free of cost on a number of websites. A quick Google search will let you know about various sites depending upon your current location. Talk to others in the apartment building to find out what they pay per month. You can then use this comparison chart to avail some reasonable discount from your landlord.
你可以在任何租賃網站上查看是否有更好的選擇。查查相同區域其他的房東給的是什么價位。這些信息在很多網站都是免費的。簡單的谷歌一下就能讓你知道當前區域不同情況。還可以跟這棟樓其他租客聊聊，問問他們的房租是多少。你可以拿著這個對比表去跟房東要點折扣。
5. Be ready to carry on small repairs:
準備好一些小裝修
Tell your landlord that you can pay for minor repairs from your own pocket and won’t bother him for such issues. This tip may come in handy as most of the landlords find it pretty frustrating when their tenants come on their doors every month with the request to carry on some small repairs.
告訴房東你愿意自掏腰包裝修一下屋子，不會在這類事情上麻煩到他。這個真的非常有效，因為房東真的很煩每個月租客都要上門找他們維修各種東西。
A better idea is to make a list of minor repairs that you can carry on your own in order to avoid any last minute hassles. While negotiating for an extension of lease, you can point out the repairs that you carried out even though the contract states that it is their responsibility.
最好的辦法就是列一個單子告訴他哪些你可以自掏腰包解決的，不需要勞煩到他。當談到租價的時候，你可以指出哪些部分你可以自己解決，即使合同里寫到這是他們的職責。
6. Show your positive characteristics:
展現你積極的人格魅力
Every landlord would like to have a tenant who is courteous, polite, reliable and trustworthy. No one wants to sign a deal with a tenant who cannot afford to make payment on time, proves to be a nuisance to neighbors, keep the noise levels up and starts fighting over minor issues. If you can portray some positive characteristics by providing some referrals of your previous landlords, this might help you to save few dollars in your pocket every month.
每個房東都希望自己的租客客氣有禮貌值得信賴。沒有人想把房子租給一個不按時交房租、鄰居們都討厭、天天制造一堆噪音以及小事上吵吵鬧鬧的人。如果你能提供前面租客對你積極人格的評價，就能幫你每個月省點錢下來。
7. Provide some referrals:
提供些參考
You can offer your landlord some referrals in case if he has some vacant units that could be rented out. After all, an empty unit might put extra burden on the pocket of the landlord. You could also use social media to spread a word among your peers about the vacant apartment. This can help you to strike a better deal with your landlord.
如果房東有一些空出來的單元，你不妨給房東一些參考。畢竟空關只會給房東帶來額外的支出。你可以用一些社交手段在同齡人中宣傳這些房子。這能讓你跟房東談下更低的價錢。
In few tight markets, where there are more renters than apartments, it’s very unlikely that you will get a decent deal. A bit smarter way while negotiating a deal is to find a way to gain upper hand by using some out of box strategies. However, you must do your homework before negotiating a deal with your landlord.
在供不應求的市場中，租客永遠比合適的公寓多，想用合適的價位租到稱心的房子沒那么容易。稍微聰明點的辦法無疑是不按常理出牌，找到個方法獲得主控權，這樣才能把價格談下來。無論如何，在和房東講價之前都別忘了做點功課。
1. Sign up for a long term lease:
簽署長期合同
When a landlord has to rent out a vacant apartment, he loses a lot in broker fees, cleaning costs, and transaction costs. All that can be recovered if you can convince him that you will be staying for more than couple of years. Highlight these points while making a deal with the landlord.
房東要租房時，他會損失一大筆錢，比如代理費，清潔費以及交易費。但是如果你說服他，告知他你會連著租好幾年，這筆費用就可以賺回來了。強調這一點就能跟房東講價了。
2. Get ready to pay several months in advance:
準備好預付幾個月的租金
Some landlords prefer to receive large sums of money and may be willing to provide discount, if you can pay a couple of months of rent in advance. He can use that money on several things that he may have delayed due to insufficient funds. From a landlord’s perspective, it is better to rent an apartment as he may be losing out money by keeping it vacant.
一些房東比較喜歡一次性收一大筆錢，這樣也會給你打點折。如果你能提前預付幾個月的租金，他就能拿這筆錢做幾件事，這樣就會解決財政危機。從房東的角度來說，與其把房子空關，倒不如租出去。
3. Let your landlord know about your available options:
讓房東知道你有好幾個選擇
Just like an offer in hand that can help you to ask for a better pay packet from your current employer, it may be much easier to negotiate with landlords when you have some options in hand. Use this strategy as leverage to build a strong case in front of your landlord. If the apartment has been vacant for a long time, then make your landlord realize that it would be fruitful to negotiate a deal, else it will be an additional cost on his part.
手上有糧，心中不慌。就好比你手中有個offer，就能問老板要更好的薪資，如果你讓房東知道自己現在有幾個選擇，砍價起來就更方便啦。在房東面前把這個方法當成杠桿來用吧。如果房子空關很久了，就讓房東意識到從他角度來說多出了哪些費用，好好的砍砍價吧。
4. Do more research:
多做研究
You can go online and check if there is any better deal available on any rental website. Check out what other landlords are charging for the same space. This information is available free of cost on a number of websites. A quick Google search will let you know about various sites depending upon your current location. Talk to others in the apartment building to find out what they pay per month. You can then use this comparison chart to avail some reasonable discount from your landlord.
你可以在任何租賃網站上查看是否有更好的選擇。查查相同區域其他的房東給的是什么價位。這些信息在很多網站都是免費的。簡單的谷歌一下就能讓你知道當前區域不同情況。還可以跟這棟樓其他租客聊聊，問問他們的房租是多少。你可以拿著這個對比表去跟房東要點折扣。
5. Be ready to carry on small repairs:
準備好一些小裝修
Tell your landlord that you can pay for minor repairs from your own pocket and won’t bother him for such issues. This tip may come in handy as most of the landlords find it pretty frustrating when their tenants come on their doors every month with the request to carry on some small repairs.
告訴房東你愿意自掏腰包裝修一下屋子，不會在這類事情上麻煩到他。這個真的非常有效，因為房東真的很煩每個月租客都要上門找他們維修各種東西。
A better idea is to make a list of minor repairs that you can carry on your own in order to avoid any last minute hassles. While negotiating for an extension of lease, you can point out the repairs that you carried out even though the contract states that it is their responsibility.
最好的辦法就是列一個單子告訴他哪些你可以自掏腰包解決的，不需要勞煩到他。當談到租價的時候，你可以指出哪些部分你可以自己解決，即使合同里寫到這是他們的職責。
6. Show your positive characteristics:
展現你積極的人格魅力
Every landlord would like to have a tenant who is courteous, polite, reliable and trustworthy. No one wants to sign a deal with a tenant who cannot afford to make payment on time, proves to be a nuisance to neighbors, keep the noise levels up and starts fighting over minor issues. If you can portray some positive characteristics by providing some referrals of your previous landlords, this might help you to save few dollars in your pocket every month.
每個房東都希望自己的租客客氣有禮貌值得信賴。沒有人想把房子租給一個不按時交房租、鄰居們都討厭、天天制造一堆噪音以及小事上吵吵鬧鬧的人。如果你能提供前面租客對你積極人格的評價，就能幫你每個月省點錢下來。
7. Provide some referrals:
提供些參考
You can offer your landlord some referrals in case if he has some vacant units that could be rented out. After all, an empty unit might put extra burden on the pocket of the landlord. You could also use social media to spread a word among your peers about the vacant apartment. This can help you to strike a better deal with your landlord.
如果房東有一些空出來的單元，你不妨給房東一些參考。畢竟空關只會給房東帶來額外的支出。你可以用一些社交手段在同齡人中宣傳這些房子。這能讓你跟房東談下更低的價錢。
