Beware of changing lease agreement lengths after you sign a lease. I originally signed up for a six month lease at this place. I like the flexibility of six months and they were happy to tell me that they do 6-13 month leases and month-to-month.
When I went to renew my lease I was told that I only had a 8,10, 12 or 13 month option. The manager sited "fair housing laws" as to why I could not be offered a 6 month lease. This made no sense to me so I consulted with a real estate lawyer who confirmed that this claim was bogus. I went back to the office to speak with the manager (Julie Murphy) who then "clarified" what she had meant: because of fair housing laws, they could not offer just me a six month rent, but it was the company (Sentinal Corp) who decided that no one would get the six month option.
Apparently they do this every few months so it is more convenient for them— more consistent occupancy and not everyone coming/going at the same time. I have rented in several different cities and have never heard of this underhanded practice before. Furthermore, no mention of this practice was made when I first signed a lease. Make sure you clarify whether you have a choice of renewal options when you sign up at a new place.
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