How-To
4 articles in this category
Renting Month-to-Month After a Divorce: What Both Sides Need in Writing
Divorce reshapes living situations fast. One person stays, one person leaves, or both leave and neither wants to be locked into a long-term lease while the rest of their life is still being sorted out. Month-to-month rentals become the practical choice for a lot of people going through a divorce, either because they need flexibility while a settlement is finalized, because they are waiting to see where they end up financially, or because they are not ready to commit to anything longer than 30 days out...
How to Tell If a Late Fee Violates State Law
Late fees are one of the most disputed line items in any tenancy. Tenants think they are being overcharged. Landlords think they are within their rights. Both sides are often guessing, because state law on late fees is specific, varies widely, and is rarely spelled out clearly in the lease itself...
Landlord Insurance vs. Renters Insurance: Who Covers What When Something Goes Wrong?
When something goes wrong at a rental property, the first question both the landlord and the tenant ask is usually the same one: whose insurance covers this? A pipe bursts and floods the unit. A tenant's guest slips on an icy walkway. A fire destroys the tenant's belongings. The answers are not always what either side expects, and the gaps between the two policies is where people get hurt financially...
How to Read a Lease Agreement Before You Sign
Most people spend more time reading the terms and conditions on a streaming service than they do reading a lease agreement. That is a problem, because a lease is a legally binding contract worth thousands of dollars that governs where you live for the next year or more. Every clause you skip is something you have already agreed to...