Ten Tips for Finding a Rental Home in Albuquerque

1. Eat all the chocolate you want! The stress of house hunting causes extreme calorie leakage.

2. Be sure to obtain a current map of Albuquerque and Rio Rancho. We are a fast growing areaq. New streets and communities are being added all over town. Go to our neighborhood link to learn more about the varied Metro area neighborhoods.

3. If you have a pet, bring references for your pet. Examples are as follows. Letters recommending the pet from former landlords and/or realtors whom have seen the home where the pet resided. List of obedience classes attended by the pet. Phone numbers of former pet sitters or veterinarian.

4. Some school district boundaries change yearly. Be sure to check a school boundary with the Albuquerque Public School District. Albuquerque has a large selection of private and religious schools. The Albuquerque Public School web site is www.aps.org and Rio Rancho Public School website is www.rrps.net

5. The utility company will provide a 12-month cost history free of charge for an address. PNM is the usual supplier of electric www.pmn.com and  New Mexico Gas Company provides gas www.nmgco.com.   Some areas have propane tanks. Be sure to find out who supplies the propane for a home.

6. Ask who provides water, sewer and trash pick-up. The City of Albuquerque provides water and trash in most areas. Sandia Heights, Paradise Hills, and Rio Rancho have their own water service. If the resident pays all utilities this usually includes both the water and the trash.  Be sure to find out which utility cost are the residents responsibility and which costs are the landlord before signing a lease.

7. Directions are given in Albuquerque by section of town. There are four sections: Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, and Southwest. Interstate 25 divides East from West; Central Ave. divides South from North. Rio Rancho, Bernallio and Placitas are different towns.

8. Save a lot of time by driving past a home before making an appointment to see the home. Many homes can quickly be eliminated.

9. The Sunday Albuquerque Journal is the best place to begin looking for a home. The classified ads also contain ads for many rental web sites and property management companies websites. The Journal is online at abqjournal.com. Section 1636 is unfurnished homes.  When looking on line be sure to type your search in different ways.  For example Albuqueque rental homes: rental homes Albuquerque.

10. Ask about move-in specials. Some owners will give incentives for a mid-month move in or for longer leases, etc.