How Much Does It Cost to Move Into a Rental in South Florida?
A resposta curta
Plan for the first month's rent, a security deposit of about one month, and often the last month's rent, so roughly two to three times the monthly rent before you move in. On top of that come the owner's application fee, the association's application and move-in fees where there is one, a pet deposit or fee if a pet is allowed, and utility deposits in your own name. A furnished or seasonal home can ask for more.
First, Last and the Security Deposit
The first month's rent is paid at signing. The security deposit, commonly one month and sometimes two on a furnished home or a thin credit file, is held against damage and unpaid rent and comes back after move-out under Florida's deposit rules. Many South Florida owners also ask for the last month's rent in advance; it is applied to your final month, not returned.
Application and Association Fees
The owner's application fee covers the screening report. A condo, townhome community or gated neighbourhood adds its own application fee, and sometimes a move-in deposit, an elevator or dock reservation fee or a gate-pass charge. Association fees are set by the association and are usually not refundable, even when the application is withdrawn.
Animais de estimação
Where a pet is allowed, expect a pet deposit, a one-time pet fee, a monthly pet rent, or a mix of the three; which it is, and the amount, is the owner's to set. Assistance animals are not pets under fair housing law and carry no pet deposit or fee, though the owner may ask for the documentation the law allows.
Utilities and Services
A single-family home usually leaves electricity, water, internet, lawn care and pest control to the tenant, and the utility companies may ask for a deposit to open an account. Many condo leases include water, sewer, trash and basic cable in the association fee the owner pays; the listing and the lease say which. Ask before you apply, because an included utility changes the real monthly cost.
Furnished and Seasonal Homes
A furnished home is often quoted with a larger deposit and a cleaning fee, and a seasonal lease is usually quoted as a total for the stay, paid in full or in large instalments before arrival. Florida and the counties charge a transient rental tax on leases of six months or less, which the owner collects on top of the rent; the furnished, seasonal or annual guide sets it out.
Adding It Up
For an annual, unfurnished home, a working budget is two to three times the monthly rent at signing plus a few hundred dollars in application, association and utility fees. Ask the owner's agent for a written move-in statement listing every amount, when it is due and what is returned, before you pay anything. A BreakThru agent asks for it on your behalf.
Let a Rental Agent Do the Legwork
Tell us your budget, move-in date and must-haves. A BreakThru rental agent builds the shortlist, schedules the tours and helps you apply with a complete file. In most South Florida rentals the owner pays the agent, so our help costs a renter nothing. Conte-nos o que você deseja · Search homes for rent
How Much Does It Cost to Move Into a Rental in South Florida?: Questions
- How much does it cost to move into a rental in Florida?
- Plan for the first month's rent, a security deposit of about one month, and often the last month's rent, so roughly two to three times the monthly rent before you move in. On top of that come the owner's application fee, the association's application and move-in fees where there is one, a pet deposit or fee if a pet is allowed, and utility deposits in your own name. A furnished or seasonal home can ask for more.
- Is the last month's rent the same as a security deposit?
- No. Prepaid last month's rent is applied to your final month and is not returned; the security deposit is held against damage and unpaid rent and is returned after move-out under Florida's deposit rules, less any claim the owner makes in writing.
- Can I pay the deposit in instalments?
- That is the owner's decision, and most South Florida owners ask for the whole amount at signing because the home is held off the market from that day. Ask before you apply rather than at the lease.
- Are application fees refundable?
- Owner and association application fees pay for screening that is done whether or not you are approved, so they are usually not refundable. A holding deposit, when one is taken, is normally applied to the security deposit or returned if the owner declines you; get that in writing.