Who Keeps the Dog If You Break Up? | Pound Ridge Real Estate

-
You’re in love. And, after careful consideration and heartfelt discussions, you and your significant other have decided to take a leap of faith and move in together. After all, your dogs already get along, and the apartment you’re renting is big enough for two and closer to your partner’s work. What could possibly go wrong?
Sorry to burst your bubble, but the answer is: a lot. While deciding to cohabitate may seem like nothing more than making a little extra space in your sock drawer, there are serious considerations to discuss. Here are five reasons why ironing out the details beforehand and drafting a cohabitation agreement is the savviest way to protect you and your partner if things begin to unravel.

1. Avoid breaching your lease

A lease agreement is a type of contract allowing either party the opportunity to seek damages (i.e., money) if its terms are not followed. If you are renting on your own, your lease agreement is between you and your landlord only. In other words, your new roommate is not protected by the terms of the agreement, and vice versa for the landlord.
Many leases contain a clause requiring notification or written approval prior to moving in a new tenant. Even if yours doesn’t, the smartest move is to speak with your landlord or property manager about drafting a new lease agreement with your partner’s name added to the contract. That way, everyone is protected and legally bound in the event an issue arises.
Also, keep in mind that if your lease requires written permission from the landlord and you fail to follow that step, your landlord is within his rights to terminate the lease, leaving you, your partner and all your belongings without a place to call home.

2. Safeguard your stuff

Another recommended step prior to moving in together involves adding your partner to your renters insurance policy or asking your partner to obtain his or her own renters insurance policy.
Generally considered an inexpensive risk management tool, renters insurance protects the policyholder from financial loss in the event of fire, water damage, mold or robbery. However, a policy only protects the belongings of the policyholder. Therefore, if you are robbed and your partner’s expensive jewelry is targeted, you will likely be unable to recover the value of these items if he or she is not listed on the policy.

read more...

http://www.zillow.com/blog/who-keeps-the-dog-if-you-breakup-169634/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ZillowBlog+%28Zillow+Blog%29

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Four Regional Banks Discuss Settlement Over Foreclosures | Waccabuc Real Estate

-
Image
U.S. state attorneys general are pressing four banks to accept a legal settlement over botched foreclosures similar to a deal reached with larger competitors this year, according to three people briefed on the matter. U.S. Bancorp (SFBC) , PNC Financial Services Group (PNC) Inc., SunTrust Banks Inc. (STI) and HSBC Holdings Plc (HSBA) have held talks with state and federal officials who investigated claims that loan servicers mishandled foreclosure documents, according to the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the talks are private. U.S. Bancorp Said to Join PNC in Talks on Mortgage Settlement Jeff Kowalsky/Bloomberg Mortgage servicers typically handle billing and collections, as well as foreclosures when borrowers fail to pay. Neil Brazil , a spokesman for HSBC’s North America unit, said in an e-mail that the London-based lender has conducted “preliminary discussions with its bank regulators and other ...
Read more

Bedford Corners Real Estate by Robert Paul | 3 Perks of Google+ for Doctors: Spend a Little Time, Make Big Online Marketing Gains

-
Image
For doctors trying to reach their patients online, using Google+ can provide surprising marketing benefits that help them be more “findable” on the web. Consider that 44 percent of all Internet users search online to find information about health professionals, and suddenly the importance for doctors of having a good online presence should be more clear. In this article I’ll discuss three reasons why I think that, if you participate in Google+, the newest social network, you can improve the chances your name will come up when prospective patients search for something you’ve written about. If you’re not a doctor but you do know that many prospective clients use the web as a way to find you and your competitors, this article will also be relevant to you. 1. Rise in the Rankings First, participating in Google+ gives doctors an advantage because content you share on Google+ has an “edge” against other stories. That’s right–Google (the search engine) likes stories that’ve gotten sha...
Read more