I'm moving to apartments near Volusia County for less than a year, is there anything I should know before signing a short term lease?

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Lyme Stone Ranch
Lyme Stone Ranch is one of several apartments in Volusia County that offer leases for less than 12 months.

When searching for short-term apartments in Volusia County, there are a few benefits and drawbacks to this type of lease. Most renters will sign the standard, 12-month agreement. However, certain circumstances in life may call for a shorter term. This could include a temporary job assignment, finishing up your last semester at school or even moving to help a family member or friend. Whatever the reason may be, there are a few things you need to know before putting pen to paper.

Short term leases with apartments in Volusia County offer more flexibility than a tradition year-long lease. This gives you the opportunity to move at a moment’s notice, without involving a sublease or breaking your lease. This allows many people to have more mobility and consider jobs and opportunities that are outside of their current city or state. This also proves to be helpful when you move to a new city and do not know which neighborhood you’d like to settle down in. A short term lease at apartments in Volusia County will allow you to experience the area you’re in and decide if you’d like to pursue signing a longer lease.

Another perk of a short term lease is that some apartments in Volusia County may allow you to rent month-to-month. This type of short-term situation gives you even greater flexibility when deciding on a new place to live. If you decide to rent a place month-to-month, then there will be no fees when you need to move out. If you sign a traditional 12-month lease, you are legally obligated to pay those 12 months of rent payments, whether or not you still live in your apartment. This could definitely start to add up.

Short term leases at apartments in Volusia County can often be converted into a long-term lease if you decide to stay. In fact, if you’re a good tenant, any apartment community would be more than happy to hand over the paperwork for you to sign! You can look at this as a good way to test out an apartments or neighborhood before deciding you want to commit to an entire year.

For the most part, the cons associated with short term leases at apartments in Volusia County have to do with the effect on your bank account. For one, shorter term leases can be more expensive than traditional ones. You could potentially pay as much for a 6 month lease as you would for a 12 month lease. If you’re looking to keep your costs down with an affordable apartment, you must try and make an educated decision before deciding if a short-term lease is the way to go.

Short term leases can affect your credit score. New communities are very likely going to pull your credit history, and the more often you do that due to moving, the worse it is going to look on your credit report. Each time your credit history is pulled, it could have a negative effect on your score. Each time you sign an application for a short term lease, the new community will see how many short-term leases you have applied or signed for. This may make them think you have an unstable renting history. While this is not always true and most times you can talk to the Property Manager, it is something to be aware of.

Probably the biggest con is that short term apartments in Volusia County have is that they are so darn hard to find! Communities prefer long term leases because there is a lot of work that goes into turning units over for new renters. Each time someone moves out, the property must clean, pain, repair and sometimes replace the carpet. This is why you don’t see many short term leases. A lot of short term leases at apartments in Volusia County will be single bedrooms because those are less work than multiple bedrooms to get ready for the next tenant.

Ultimately, a short-term lease can be a great thing for those looking for temporary housing. It offers the comforts of home, without the long-term commitment. These are just a few of the things to keep in mind when trying to make your decision. 

These are the opinions of writers and not the opinions of SunStateApartments.com or any of our advertising partners.