Negotiate a Lower Rent
The Step-by-Step Guide to Saving Hundreds Every Month
Could a few hours of your time put $1,200… $2,400… or even $4,800 back in your pocket?
From Ramit Sethi, founder of "I Will Teach You To Be Rich" and "Earn1K":
Hey there —
If you’ve read my book or blog, you know I’m all about getting Big Wins when it comes to managing your money—and not sweating the small stuff.
Depending on your situation, you can improve your credit score, and more than cover your daily lattes. You can eliminate banking fees, and spend that extra cash on a new wardrobe instead.
But there’s one often overlooked action that’s even easier and less time-consuming…and it can result in a much bigger payback on your time: negotiating your rent.
I’m often amazed how many people don’t realize they can negotiate their rent. Whether they rent from individual owners or big property management firms, they think the rent that’s quoted to them is written in stone.
But as I’m sure you’ve heard before, everything’s negotiable. Even rent. Which, if you’re like most people, is one of your top, if not biggest, monthly expenses.
And if you’re paying more than you have to on rent, it’s like an invisible cost eating away at your monthly budget.
How much is this invisible expense costing you each month?
One way to lower your monthly rent is to simply move to a cheaper place. But that’s not what I’m talking about here.
After all, you probably like where you live. You have no desire to upend your life. You don’t want the hassle and expense of moving.
You can avoid all that, by simply asking for a rent decrease…the right way.
I created my new mini-course – Negotiate a Lower Rent – to help you do just that. It gives you an actionable, step-by-step plan you can use for practically any situation to cut your rent costs by as much as hundreds of dollars every month—painlessly.
Plus you get scripts you can use for emails, phone calls, and face-to-face meetings to address any possible objection that gets thrown your way.
By following this simple action plan, you can stay right where you are—or snag that dream apartment, and potentially slash your monthly rent costs by $200 or more.
This kind of Big Win could add up to a whopping $2,400 in savings or more after one year, or $4,800 after two.
All in exchange for a total of about 2 hours of your time over the next few weeks.
Do the math: that’s a HUGE payback. Does your job pay you $2,400 an hour? Probably not.
So why doesn’t everyone do this?
Like I said, most people don’t realize they can negotiate rent. But think about this: what if your neighbor in the apartment next door is paying 15% less than you?
It’s like when you’re on a plane, and the guy next to you could have paid $200 less than you did for the same seat.
But there’s no reason why you can’t be the one who’s getting the same deal for less—and sock that extra cash away into savings, pay off debt, or blow it on whatever makes you happy.
Need further convincing? Just take a look at what’s happening with homeowners in the wake of the housing market collapse. People are renegotiating the terms and lowering interest rates on their mortgages—years after they signed the papers.
Yet many of them made awful decisions in the first place. Why should they be the only ones to benefit? Why not someone like you, who’s been getting those rent checks in on time like clockwork, and generally being a good, reliable tenant?
“OK, sounds good, Ramit…but I suck at negotiating!”
I truly believe the information and scripts you get in “Negotiate a Lower Rent” can help anyone be successful, with very little effort.
But I know what you may be thinking now: Me? Negotiate? Can’t I just grab a pair of pliers and pull out my two front teeth instead?
Look, some people love the thrill of negotiating. They salivate at the idea of plotting a strategy, reacting to whatever curve balls they’re thrown, and ultimately being the victor and enjoying the spoils.
But some of us find negotiating downright intimidating, scary, and something to be avoided at all costs.
This could be due to being a victim of bad experience. Perhaps you tried to negotiate something in the past—your salary, a car purchase, maybe even your rent—and were sent packing with your tail between your legs.
Whatever your situation, Negotiate a Lower Rent shows you simple strategies that can get you a rent decrease anyway—even if you’ve been given a flat out NO before or told “you don’t like it, leave.”
Those who ask (the right way) shall receive…
Negotiating with your landlord doesn’t have to be frightening, it doesn’t have to get ugly, and it doesn’t have to be a relationship-breaker.
In fact, following the steps and scripts in “Negotiate a Lower Rent” can actually improve your relationship with your landlord over the short and long term.
That’s because no matter what the outcome, you’ll feel empowered. Your landlord will see you in a new light, and do things to keep you as a tenant. He or she may even be less likely to mess with you later (such as failing to return your deposit or otherwise jerking you around.)
Now, you could try to do this on your own. But why not use the thoroughly tested strategies and scripts I provide in Negotiate a Lower Rent?
By using these strategies and scripts, you’ll be able to confidently approach your landlord and—in an amicable, respectful way—find a win/win that benefits both of you.
You’ll also become a master at the psychology behind negotiating your rent successfully. You can figure out exactly what makes your landlord or property manager tick, what’s important to him or her, and what you have to offer…so you can hit a “home run” without suffering through endless, time-consuming negotiations that go nowhere.
Everything you need for every situation under the sun
I realize everyone’s situation is different. Perhaps you’re not renting yet, but looking for a place. Maybe you recently renewed your lease or already agreed to a rent increase. Maybe you’re already getting a deal (of course, how do you know for sure?)
That’s why I packed Negotiate a Lower Rent with proven strategies and scripts for every possible situation under the sun. It gives you everything you need to cut your monthly rental expenses by hundreds of dollars…adding up to thousands in just the next year or two.
But that’s not all. You see, every landlord is different, too. You’ve got…
- Individuals who own a few properties or just one.
- Big companies that own chains of rental housing.
- Mid-sized property management firms that oversee dozens of rentals.
- Intermediaries who represent any one of these types of landlords.
And they ALL have different “hot buttons.”
Negotiate a Lower Rent shows you how to figure out these “hot buttons,” no matter what kind of landlord you have. Once you understand what they are, you’ll be able to tailor your negotiation strategy and scripts accordingly and achieve your target rent.
The ultimate “how to” guide for negotiating success
Here’s just a glimpse of what you’ll discover in Negotiate a Lower Rent…
- How to determine how much of a reduction to ask for at the starting point of your discussions.
- How to negotiate a lower rent without getting screwed if you live in a high demand, low supply market.
- How to know exactly how much leverage you have in getting the rent reduction you want—this is KEY to a successful negotiation.
- How to determine the fair market value of your apartment so you come up with a realistic negotiating goal. Plus research shortcuts to save you hours of time.
- How to negotiate a lower rent even if you’re already paying at or below-market value.
- How to cut a better deal with a potential landlord without jeopardizing that perfect new place you just fell in love with.
- How to stop paying pet fees, parking fees, storage unit fees, and other nuisance fees, even if it’s a “chain” apartment rental.
- How to get inside your landlord’s head—and prepare for any possible objection in advance.
- How to find a “hidden gem” on a fixer upper if you’re handy with tools and willing to put in a little sweat equity in return for a rock-bottom deal on rent.
- How to negotiate rent when you deal with a property management company or other big company instead of an individual owner.
- How to avoid a rent increase if you’ve been told by your landlord that your rent is going up.
- How to get a rent decrease even if you’re forced to renew six months in advance, and your rent typically goes up every year.
- How to assess your greatest attributes as a tenant—and use them to make your landlord realize they’d be crazy to lose you, and want to work with you to keep you.
- How to get your landlord to agree to a rent decrease even if he or she is the biggest, cheapest tightwad in the world (here’s where my hard-won “negotiate like an Indian” secrets really come in handy.)
- How to not only negotiate a lower rent on a new place, but drastically reduce the amount of deposit you’re required to put down.
- How to get what you want—whether it’s a rent decrease, home improvement, or long overdue repairs—without ruining your relationship with your landlord.
- How to avoid a steep break-lease fee if you have to move for your job, decide to buy, or for any reason…and get your deposit back to boot.
- Best way to practice your face-to-face negotiation before it happens for the best possible outcome.
- Surefire signs a potential landlord is desperate for a tenant—and ready to cut a deal—for example, how to find out how many units are actually vacant (or about to be) in your building.
- Best places to conduct your face-to-face negotiations with your landlord—and the one place you should avoid.
- Best online sources to research comparable rental properties in your area—yes, there is a “renter’s MLS”, here’s how to find it
- How to negotiate rent and other terms for a new place without sending out signals that you’re a nitpicker or difficult tenant.
- What to do if your landlord simply won’t budge—or how to know when to fold them (and do it graciously).
- Strategies and scripts that work for ANY landlord—even if he or she is a cheapskate, a butthead, not completely trustworthy, or just plain ruthless.
- How to make your landlord an offer he or she can’t refuse—and even thank you for later.
- How to know who to talk to if your rental property is owned by a big company or property management firm. Avoid wasting your time dickering with someone who doesn’t have final say or control.
This kind of “inside” information is priceless for anyone who wants to negotiate a lower rent, no matter what your situation. You won’t find this information anywhere else.
But what really makes Negotiate a Lower Rent such a valuable mini-course are the scripts I’ve included…
Scripts that make any landlord say “Yes”
These thoroughly tested scripts give you a proven method for success and let you avoid any roadblocks that may arise during a negotiation. You get scripts for email (or letters, if your landlord is behind the times), phone, and face-to-face communications that help you…
- Successfully negotiate a lower rent, even if you’ve never negotiated anything in your life before. Step-by-step instructions and scripts give you the know-how and confidence you need to score big.
- Convince your landlord that you’re paying an above-market rental rate and that it makes sense to lower it.
- Respond if your landlord shows you actual data that indicate the rent you’re paying is already below market—and still get a rent reduction
- Make any sane landlord want to give you a break on rent, even if you think you live in a high demand, tight-supply market.
- Keep your rent where it is if you’ve been notified that your rent is going to go up.
- Convince your landlord to upgrade old appliances, update the bathroom, or other improvements without raising your rent.
- Get utilities included in your rent if they’re not already covered by your landlord. With heat, water, and electricity costs rising at double-digit rates, this one move could pay off huge.
Even more important, these scripts give you actual counterpoints you can make to just about any conceivable response or objection your landlord may come back to you with…so you can keep wearing down their resistance without fraying the relationship, and make it a win/win that makes everyone happy.
But achieving anything worthwhile doesn’t involve just perspiration. It requires inspiration, too. That’s why Negotiate a Lower Rent also includes…
Real-life success stories you can learn from and be inspired by
As you’re about to see, these strategies can work in any city or state in the U.S., even high-demand, tight-supply markets. They can also work in any country. I’ve got stories from people all over the U.S. and the world—England, Canada, Australia, and others—who have used these strategies to lower their rent. Here’s just a small sampling…
“Three months ago, with my lease renewal date approaching, I decided I would try to negotiate my rent. I spent over a month worrying about the Big Conversation with my landlord Jim... In the end, my talk with Jim was totally painless.”
“Three emails and one phone call later, I’ve saved myself thousands of dollars for the coming year... my landlord cut the rent for my apartment by a spectacular 11%.”
—Susan Su, San Francisco, CA
“I used your scripts and got my landlord to come down $200 a month on a 1-year lease renewal. It's even more amazing because she said she was already losing money on it before the reduction.”
“You saved me $2,400! It took 20 minutes on Craig’s list and maybe an hour to write 3 emails. Realistically we plan to be here 2 years, so that would be $4,800 in savings.”
—J.R., 30, Charlotte, NC
“I used your scripts and got a 15% discount (about $1,500 per year) on my rent for next year!”
—Ashley, 25, Toronto, Canada
“Ramit, I used your negotiation tips to save me and my roommates $3,800+ next year in one email to our landlord, asking for a rent reduction and a shorter lease (we're all graduating next June, but a 12-month lease would have ended in July). Thanks so much! I probably wouldn't have even known that rent was negotiable!”
—Sarah L., San Luis Obispo, CA
About Me
- Author of the instant New York Times-bestseller I Will Teach You To Be Rich
- 300,000 monthly readers on the I Will Teach You To Be Rich blog
- Featured in ABC News, New York Times, and Wall Street Journal
- Stanford graduate
If you’re reading this you probably already know I help people start side businesses to earn more money. But just in case, here’s a little bit about me:
I’ve been writing my blog, “I Will Teach You To Be Rich,” since 2004. It now hosts over 300,000 readers/month.
I’ve written hundreds of free articles for millions of readers and helped people save, invest, and automate their money.
My book, I Will Teach You To Be Rich, was an instant New York Times best-seller and became the #1 overall book on Amazon the day it was released (knocking Twilight off the top spot).
My material on earning more has been featured in the Wall Street Journal and ABC News. I’m regularly featured in the New York Times.
Above all, I get you results.
So, you might be wondering, can Negotiate a Lower Rent work for me? I don't want everyone to get it—just the right people.
This mini-course is definitely for you if…
- You want to lower your monthly rent, so you have more money to put towards a down payment on a house or just to spend on the things you love.
- You think you might be overpaying on rent, and are sick of throwing money out the window.
- You’re paying the market rate for your rent, in which case you should probably still negotiate.
- Your lease is within 6 months of expiring, and it will be ready to renew soon.
- You’re renting month-to-month, but would consider signing a longer lease.
- You’re considering moving to another place, but wouldn’t mind staying if the rent was lowered.
- You’re looking for your first rental and are considering signing a lease for the first time.
- You’re a good tenant who pays on time, has good credit, doesn’t trash the place or cause trouble, and may even add value by helping out your neighbors or landlord.
- You’re a landlord yourself, and want to get the inside scoop on strategies your tenants may use to negotiate their rent.
If any of these situations sound like you, then you can skip the next part. On the other hand, if you're not sure, check out this list to make sure this mini-course is right for you.
This mini-course may not be for you if…
- You happen to live in a red-hot rental market where properties are very difficult to find and renters routinely bid over and above the asking price. (Then again, some of these strategies and scripts may help you fend off that next rent increase.)
- You’re having trouble paying your rent on time right now or have a lousy credit score (face it, you’re NOT going to be in a great negotiating position.)
One of the most profitable skills you’ll ever master
No one teaches you negotiation in college. It’s one of those skills most of us gain from the “school of hard knocks.”
But thanks to Negotiate a Lower Rent, gaining and mastering this skill will be a breeze. And putting it in action to gain a huge payback on your time could be the easiest money you’ve ever “earned.”
It’s never too early to start planning, either. Maybe you recently renewed your lease, or just moved into your place.
But you may be surprised to learn most lease agreements come up for renewal at least 2 months before they expire…and in some cases, as early as six months.
That’s why it makes sense to start doing your research and preparing in advance. Plus, you can take steps now to paint yourself as the “ideal” tenant, so you’ll be in a stronger position to negotiate later.
So let me ask you…could a few hours of your time put $2,400 or $4,800 back in your pocket?
Could it make it easier for you to save for a house…pay off college loans or other debt…treat yourself to a much-needed vacation…splurge on your dream car…or simply cover your monthly expenses more easily without worrying so much?
You’ll never know until you try.
And I want to make it as easy as possible for you to do so.
I know I’m probably charging much less than I should for Negotiate a Lower Rent. After all, you’ll probably get back at least TEN times the cost of this mini-course in just the first six months or less.
But I’m also throwing in three special bonus gifts—just to give you that little bit of extra motivation to take the next step…
3 valuable bonus gifts to make you richer and more successful
Bonus #1: Lifetime Access to My Scrooge Strategies
($423 Included)
Tired of the same old savings advice? Learn how to save hundreds of dollars per year. Get massive money saving tips delivered to your inbox once per week.
You get tactical tips on:
- How to save 20% at restaurants
- Proven savings strategies for travel, shopping, rent and mortgages
- How to travel internationally with steep discounts
- The dealer's secrets to buying a car and making other big purchases on the cheap
- How to save $940 on domestic flights
- 20 scam-free ways normal people can earn extra money online
- Save $71,000 + $117,000 on your mortgage
- How to save $300+ eating out at restaurants
Bonus #2: Jim Camp Negotiating ($297 Included)
Become A High Paid Certified
Negotiation Expert
Negotiation Expert Jim Camp Answers The Most Important 174 Questions About The Subject Of Negotation
Bonus #3: Special 1-hour Video Master Class on Negotiating Salary ($497 Included)
I reveal some of my very best negotiating secrets in this never-before-released video. The same tactics you’ll discover helped one of my students negotiate a $10,000 raise—even after she made a critical mistake.
You’ll see the actual words she used in her negotiation…watch us role play the negotiation…and understand the psychology of negotiation. This video alone can not only boost your salary, but help you negotiate better in other areas of your life, too. Here’s how these same strategies have helped others…
“I'm a college student who works on campus for $10/hr. Just interviewed with a local company doing similar work and they offered me $10/hr. I emailed them back saying that I usually have a minimum consulting wage of $18/hr and within an hour got an email back saying they'll pay $18/hr.”
—Christian J.
“After years of procrastination, I reviewed all of your salary negotiation strategies posts and put into play. It works like a charm. I never told the number first, which ended up with a gig which is 25K more than what I was making a week ago.”
—Sanjeev N.
“Ramit, you didn't warn us how addictive negotiating is. Recently, I got:
- $1K off my new piano (with free delivery and other things thrown in)
- $315 off a plasma HDTV that was already on sale (plus I applied $650 worth of gift cards 2 weeks after I bought the TV)
- $9K more on my credit-card limit
- $105 off my 6-mo. auto-insurance premium
...All in about 3 weeks' time. And I'm crazy-busy, as we all are. This morning, I got my tree-service crew to agree to do $80 worth of stuff for free. And the day's young!”
—Karen Y.
All of these bonuses – a total value of $1,217 – are yours free just for giving Negotiate a Lower Rent a try.
And you can experience this highly profitable mini-course with absolutely zero risk.
Try All of This Risk-Free For 180 Days
Yes -- I totally guarantee your satisfaction with “Negotiate a Lower Rent”. In fact, I back it up with a 100%, ironclad, no-questions-asked money-back guarantee.
- If you’re not completely satisfied -- for ANY reason -- email me within 180 days and I’ll refund 100% of your money right away. No catch. No questions asked.
- That’s a 100% money-back guarantee for 180 days. Where else can you test-drive a mini-course for 6 whole months that’s guaranteed to help you save hundreds of dollars a month—or thousands in the next year or two, and earn the cost of the entire program back in just the first few weeks?
- I’m so sure you’ll love Negotiate a Lower Rent that even if you get a refund, I invite you to keep the entire mini-course anyway. In fact, you can keep all 3 of your bonus gifts worth $917 too, just for giving it a try. That’s how confident I am that this mini-course will work for you.
If you have ANY doubts about this mini-course, just send one email and you’ll get 100% of your money back. I’ve taken all the risk so you can see how well this works.
Here’s everything you get with Negotiate a Lower Rent, including your FREE bonus gifts…
This mini-course is meant to get you negotiating confidently and profitably to lower your monthly rent—one of your biggest, if not single biggest, expenses. If you're looking for a way to score a Big Win without sweating the small stuff, this mini-course is for you.
- Negotiate a Lower Rent e-book ($97 Value)
You get proven, thoroughly tested strategies, scripts, along with a complete action plan and case studies so you can successfully reduce your monthly rent expenses by $100-200 a month, adding up to $4,800 or more after two years - Lifetime Access to My Scrooge Strategies ($423 Value)
New savings tips you’re not hearing anywhere else to help you score more Big Wins. You get massive money saving tips delivered to your inbox once per week that can save you hundreds, if not thousands of dollars a year. - Jim Camp Negotiating ($297 Value)
I know overcoming any fears and concerns to start a negotiation can be the toughest step of all. So to make it even easier, I’m including a special separate product from Jim Camp, one of the world’s top experts, that focuses specifically on making you the most confident, effective, and diplomatic negotiator possible. - Special 1-Hour Video Master Class on Negotiating Salary ($497 Value)
You’re going to get a taste of negotiating success once you score your Big Win on rent. So why not hone those negotiating skills even further and use them to get yourself a higher salary? I created this in-depth video to share with you my most powerful salary-negotiating secrets and case studies to show you how to use them.
Total Value of Everything Your Get:
But when you sign up today,
it's yours for...
Think about it...you're getting proven, thoroughly tested strategies, scripts, case studies, and an action plan that in most cases should take no more than two hours total of your time, that can earn you a $100-200 savings each month on your rent. That can add up to $2,400 the first year alone…and it’s a payback on those same two hours that continues to pay off year after year.
Plus you get lifetime access to my very best Scrooge Strategies that can save you hundreds, even thousands more each year…a negotiating course from one of the world’s top experts…and a special 1-hour video master class that can get you a bigger paycheck.
You don’t risk a penny, either. Your complete satisfaction is 100% guaranteed, and you have 180 days—that’s 6 whole months—to put these strategies and scripts to the test. Even if you decide you want your money back, you can keep this mini-course along with your 3 valuable bonus gifts worth $1,217. There’s really no downside here at all.
Will this work for SURE? Maybe. Maybe not. But neither of us knows until you try. All I can tell you is these scripts have worked for others. And the upside of saving hundreds of dollars a month, month after month, is huge—so it’s worth the effort.
If you do nothing, in 180 days you can be stuck in the same place you are now...paying more rent each month than you have to, and wishing you had some extra cash to save for a house, pay off debt, spend on a new car or vacation, or so you can simply stop worrying about your bills…
Or you can download this mini-course now and get it right away—all the strategies, scripts, case studies, and everything else you need—to lower your rent by hundreds of dollars each month and score a Big Win that can keep paying you back for years.