Desperate for a rental

annemayer

New Member
Hello all,I've been reading the forums for years,and finally find myself needing some help,so here I am. My husband and I are looking for a rental home in southern Calvert-Lusby or south-or in the California,Leonardtown,Hollywood areas of St.Mary's. We currently have two children who are being homeschooled as an alternative to the schools available to us - Great Mills and Lexington Park Elementary. We've been looking all summer for a place,and now that school has begun,time is slipping by,especially for my oldest who would be a freshman. They need to get into school - but we have yet to find a house. We need something that would be ok with two small dogs - a pekingnese,and a chihuahua-and unfortunately our credit took a hit years ago that we are still pulling ourselves out of. No foreclosures or anything,just some credit card debt - bills that went late/unpaid,and into collections after our child was hospitalized. We have been working with a realtor but she has told us our best bet is to rent from a private individual,as our credit shuts us out of most realtor managed rentals. So if any of you know anyone,or of a place available,please let us know. I've noticed in several threads in the past about schools that people tend to get very defensive about what is a "bad" school - particularly Great Mills. How you raise your children,and where they live and are educated is a choice,and it's my preference they don't go to those schools , so please try to keep your responses on topic,and not turn this into a debate about whether these are good schools or not,or advising me to visit,and so forth. I also know that children should learn to "bloom where they are planted" but you will get a very different result planting in good soil than in sand.
 

dachsom

New Member
Hello all,I've been reading the forums for years,and finally find myself needing some help,so here I am. My husband and I are looking for a rental home in southern Calvert-Lusby or south-or in the California,Leonardtown,Hollywood areas of St.Mary's. We currently have two children who are being homeschooled as an alternative to the schools available to us - Great Mills and Lexington Park Elementary. We've been looking all summer for a place,and now that school has begun,time is slipping by,especially for my oldest who would be a freshman. They need to get into school - but we have yet to find a house. We need something that would be ok with two small dogs - a pekingnese,and a chihuahua-and unfortunately our credit took a hit years ago that we are still pulling ourselves out of. No foreclosures or anything,just some credit card debt - bills that went late/unpaid,and into collections after our child was hospitalized. We have been working with a realtor but she has told us our best bet is to rent from a private individual,as our credit shuts us out of most realtor managed rentals. So if any of you know anyone,or of a place available,please let us know. I've noticed in several threads in the past about schools that people tend to get very defensive about what is a "bad" school - particularly Great Mills. How you raise your children,and where they live and are educated is a choice,and it's my preference they don't go to those schools , so please try to keep your responses on topic,and not turn this into a debate about whether these are good schools or not,or advising me to visit,and so forth. I also know that children should learn to "bloom where they are planted" but you will get a very different result planting in good soil than in sand.

I agree with your realtor regarding renting from a private party. It is much easier and sometimes you won't have to put up your whole security deposit at one time. They may let you make monthly payments toward the deposit. It may also be easier to find someone who is willing to allow pets.

Try asking around (friends, family, etc.). That is how we found out about the house we live in now. A friend of ours heard about the house being up for rent and let us know. We were very lucky he accepted pets and never bothers us for anything. A lot of private landlords will also have lower rents or they are willing to work with you. They want to rent to someone who will not trash the place and plan to rent for more than a year or two.

Some private realtors WILL do a credit check but they are not as tight as a realtor when it comes to qualifying. Hope this helps. Good Luck.
 

1Blondie

Member
I agree with your realtor regarding renting from a private party. It is much easier and sometimes you won't have to put up your whole security deposit at one time. They may let you make monthly payments toward the deposit. It may also be easier to find someone who is willing to allow pets.

Try asking around (friends, family, etc.). That is how we found out about the house we live in now. A friend of ours heard about the house being up for rent and let us know. We were very lucky he accepted pets and never bothers us for anything. A lot of private landlords will also have lower rents or they are willing to work with you. They want to rent to someone who will not trash the place and plan to rent for more than a year or two.

Some private realtors WILL do a credit check but they are not as tight as a realtor when it comes to qualifying. Hope this helps. Good Luck.

You may want to check out other realtors. Find one who will work hard for a rental just like a sale. I believe it is up the the owner if your credit is "good enough." Not the realtor. I know that all renters do not have perfect credit. Also, ck out somd.com classified.. lots of rentals. Good Luck
 

annemayer

New Member
You may want to check out other realtors. Find one who will work hard for a rental just like a sale. I believe it is up the the owner if your credit is "good enough." Not the realtor. I know that all renters do not have perfect credit. Also, ck out somd.com classified.. lots of rentals. Good Luck

I was working with Durkins Realty,and getting nowhere,and after hearing that they wouldn't show us any more rentals because our credit isn't good enough,I then inquired about a property through a realtor named Larry Brown. He bit my head off,telling me that he would not even approach an owner with our application with less than a 750 score. So I felt shut out,and like no one would ever get a chance to see the application,or understand our circumstances, because we are bing pre-screened by the realtors before they even get the app. Add to that the application fee for every single property - and it gets frustrating! In the private rental arena,there seems to be an attitude that if they allow pets,the place is a dump and they presume we are wanting to live in squalor. If the place is nice,and neat,no pets allowed.:jameo:
 

dachsom

New Member
I was working with Durkins Realty,and getting nowhere,and after hearing that they wouldn't show us any more rentals because our credit isn't good enough,I then inquired about a property through a realtor named Larry Brown. He bit my head off,telling me that he would not even approach an owner with our application with less than a 750 score. So I felt shut out,and like no one would ever get a chance to see the application,or understand our circumstances, because we are bing pre-screened by the realtors before they even get the app. Add to that the application fee for every single property - and it gets frustrating! In the private rental arena,there seems to be an attitude that if they allow pets,the place is a dump and they presume we are wanting to live in squalor. If the place is nice,and neat,no pets allowed.:jameo:

As I said, we lucked out with our place which is located on a farm. Very nice house (almost 2000 sq ft) and quiet. Our rent is way below what the market is asking for, around $800 less. We have been here almost 6 years and our landlord has never raised our rent. When we were looking at the house, he told us all he wanted was to rent to people who were planning on staying awhile and wouldn't trash the house. He is fairly well known in the county ( one of the Bean's). He owns several properties in the county.
 

annemayer

New Member
As I said, we lucked out with our place which is located on a farm. Very nice house (almost 2000 sq ft) and quiet. Our rent is way below what the market is asking for, around $800 less. We have been here almost 6 years and our landlord has never raised our rent. When we were looking at the house, he told us all he wanted was to rent to people who were planning on staying awhile and wouldn't trash the house. He is fairly well known in the county ( one of the Bean's). He owns several properties in the county.

Point him in my direction if you hear of any vacancies!:flowers:
 

dan0623_2000

Active Member
It is a shame you had to learn about Larry Brown the hard way. He managed some property for me may years ago. I would not trust him to manage any kind of rental property and I certainly would not use him or any company he is associated with to sell any property for me. Do real estate agents even have a peer review board?
 

emsmommie

New Member
We have our house up for sale or rent (in Huntingtown though) through a realtor, & it is up to the owner in regards to accepting credit checks. Don't give up hope; keep trying. This website has dome good rentals, even try realtor.com.
 

FED_UP

Well-Known Member
As I said, we lucked out with our place which is located on a farm. Very nice house (almost 2000 sq ft) and quiet. Our rent is way below what the market is asking for, around $800 less. We have been here almost 6 years and our landlord has never raised our rent. When we were looking at the house, he told us all he wanted was to rent to people who were planning on staying awhile and wouldn't trash the house. He is fairly well known in the county ( one of the Bean's). He owns several properties in the county.

WOW 800 bucks, people would kill to pay that much.
 

SoccerMom2

New Member
Call Chrisitna Nelson.240-925-6418. She is my old landlord. She is awesome and she also does our taxes. I wish she was still our landlord but we needed a bigger place and moved.
 

annemayer

New Member
Call Chrisitna Nelson.240-925-6418. She is my old landlord. She is awesome and she also does our taxes. I wish she was still our landlord but we needed a bigger place and moved.

Does she have property located in one of the school districts I mentioned that is available?
 

annemayer

New Member
Just called - sorry,I thought she was just a person with one rental,I didn't realize she was with a realty group. Left her a voicemail.
 

annemayer

New Member
It is a shame you had to learn about Larry Brown the hard way. He managed some property for me may years ago. I would not trust him to manage any kind of rental property and I certainly would not use him or any company he is associated with to sell any property for me. Do real estate agents even have a peer review board?

He was very nasty to me - I paid him the application fee,and submitted the app. He then called me and said he ran the credit and he wasn't going to submit it to the owners,and to forget about looking at any of his listings. Worst part is,the house is still sitting vacant! I checked the property tax record to see if they were local,if they were I was going to just approach them myself and see where it got me,but they are in Blacksburg,Va. Bet they never even knew anyone wanted that house - and we were willing to sign a four year lease!
 

annemayer

New Member
You said you home schooled so I'm curious why you care about school districts. :confused:

"We currently have two children who are being homeschooled as an alternative to the schools available to us - Great Mills and Lexington Park Elementary"

That's the quote from my original post.
 

spinner

Member
There is a house between Hollywood and Mechanicsville on the northbound side before the WAWA, a brick one that sits on a hill that's been for sale for a really long time. I think by owner, maybe they'd consider renting it out. The other thing is renting with an option, with the housing market the way it is I know a couple of sellers that have done that. And you might drive through Hollywood Shores, sometime people have signs in front of the houses.
 

BernieP

Resident PIA
out of curiousity...

Did you post the sign in Wildewood - "Wanted Home to Rent"?
I don't know where you or hubby work but the boards at work often have rentals (houses etc) posted - typically private party.

I didn't catch when this tread was started, but you are really looking at a bad time. I typically see more postings in the spring, just before school gets out. People are looking to move over the summer.

Good luck.
 

tomcatter

Professional Hater
Im moving by the end of the month, Ive been renting a nice house here in Lusby. Its a 3/4 bedroom house two baths, and a kickass finished in basement. If you want I can put you in touch with my landlord, he's a really good guy. Never really comes around unless you ask him to. Never asked for a credit check either if that may be a worry. PM me and I can give you details.
 
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