A landlord is giving rent advice for the red hot Calgary market

A landlord is giving rent advice for Calgary's red-hot market

The rental market in Calgary is extremely competitive right now. With so many people on the hunt for the best deal, any edge is helpful.

One landlord on Calgary Reddit is looking to help by giving people tips for what they look for when renting their place out.

Some tips from a local landlord on finding a rental in this market
by u/HippySol in Calgary

They are renting out a “reasonably priced basement suite” and have received a lot of interest in it, so they are sharing some of the things they are looking for to get to their final decision:

Don’t give a sob story

When you’re applying, landlords want to know you have a stable, steady income and that you’re a responsible person. Including details about your breakup, your parents selling the house from under you, etc., just screams drama.

Be polite

Landlords are juggling 100 applications and trying to be fair to everyone, so being polite goes further these days because it’s stressful on both sides.

Include as much info as you can

Clicking the “Is this still available” button with zero other information is an easy way to be ignored. So is, “When can I see it?” with no other info.

Scrub your socials

If your pics are of you and your friends shotgunning beers in the back of a pickup at your latest bush party, there are not many landlords looking for hard-partying tenants. And yes, any landlord who’s being thorough will check your socials, do a credit check and an employment check and call your past landlord. It’s necessary these days.

Letters of recommendation

If you have letters of recommendation from your past LLs, especially if you have pets, that’s helpful.

Communicate as requested

If the ad says to email, do that. Calling can be hard to keep track of.

Consider a roommate

If you don’t have a high income, consider finding a roommate first and then applying with your combined income.

Start early

Don’t leave it until the week before you move out.

Don’t complain about your present landlord

It means you’ll likely do the same with me if you move in.

Be open to alternatives

The hard fact is that some of you might not be able to afford a suite in Calgary, and you may have to consider the alternatives: renting a room instead of a suite, getting roommates, or moving out of the city to cheaper communities. Sorry, but that’s the reality of the market in Calgary right now — too few rentals and lots of people moving here. Unfortunately, there is no quick solution to the under housing we’re experiencing.

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With no end in sight to the wild rent market in Calgary, hopefully these tips help get you into the exact right spot for you!