Q: We found our first rental and love the neighborhood. It wasn’t easy to find an appropriate home, and moving was not fun. The landlord seems excellent so far, and we want to stay here long-term to avoid the hassle of doing it all again in a year or two. You recently wrote an article about how to be a great landlord. Can you give us some tips on being a great tenant? — Sara
A: Besides being a practicing real estate attorney, I have been, at various times, both a landlord and a tenant. Each role has its unique perspective, and it can be easy to see the relationship only from yours.
To be a good tenant, you want to think about what a good landlord wants and try to do that. Landlords want a tenant who pays on time, takes care of the property, and is not a hassle. Finding a new tenant takes work, and no rent is paid on an empty unit, so landlords want happy tenants and will work to keep a good tenant happy.
