duckabell Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 (edited) Edited to add: We decided not to rent the home due to a "gut" feeling. Thanks for all the suggestions. I do think if the only issue was the kitchen we could have made it work. So we're looking to rent a home in the next couple of months. We found one within our price range, great neighborhood, 1.5 baths, within five minutes of driving to my husband's work (important since we're a one-car family), fenced-in backyard, enough rooms for each kid to have their own room and have an office and schoolroom/playroom. The only flaw that I can find is the kitchen. It is probably 30-50 years old and is small; has a small, old stove; minimal counter space; no space for a dishwasher that the landlord would be willing to put in if there was space; an old fridge; and old, yucky, metal cabinets. The kitchen would work well for people who don't cook, but we cook almost all our food from scratch. I could see it maybe working if we could fit in a small island that we built and used one of the closets from another room as the pantry (which is what the current tenant does). Overall I like this house, but the kitchen is a bit of a hang-up. How much would a kitchen add weight to your decision about a rental property? Oh, and if the landlord greatly updated the kitchen because of the size and location it would likely be out of our price range. Edited June 3, 2011 by duckabell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mejane Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 (edited) . Edited June 7, 2011 by Mejane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 I would rent it. I had a small kitchen in our first house. If the 30-50 year old appliances die, the landlord will replace/fix them. We had a tiny kitchen in our first house. There was only a foot or two of counter space. You could stand in the middle and touch three sides - the 4th opened to the dining room. The "work triangle" was ideal for one person. Location and price are much more critical. PS. We cook most of our food from scratch too. ETA. As long as it's cleanable! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Not if there are any other options. If it really is the only reasonable rental, then I suppose you don't have much of a choice, but a workable kitchen is really important to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy in NH Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 IME you'll never find a rental that meets your every need. Given all the plusses, I would take it and do the best I could with the kitchen... find a way to paint the ugly cabinets, line them, etc, purchase my own appliances one at a time to replace the old ones (which I would store to put back in when I move out and take the new ones with me unless the landlord wanted to buy them from me at that point). I've had a portable rolling dishwasher in a rental before (for 5 years!) that doubled as an island/extra counter space. I've put down linoleum tile in a rental kitchen, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaxMom Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 (edited) We bought a house with a bad kitchen! Two non-contiguous feet of counter space and a stove that said - I kid not - "product of General Motors". I cooked three meals a day in there for 8 years. You just learn to be creative. Eta: and we bought a portable dishwasher that served as moveable counter space w/ the toaster on it. Edited June 2, 2011 by MyCrazyHouse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhgillil Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Kitchens are a big deal to me, so I personally would not rent a place with a crummy kitchen and it sounds like it could be a serious problem for you as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WishboneDawn Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 I'd snap it up and then get creative. If there's room for a small kitchen table then there's your counter space. It just sounds like a great place except for that one thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justasque Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 I'd go for it. Talk to the landlord about what you can and cannot change. Perhaps you could take out the ugly cabinets, paint, put in a pot rack and a nice shelf or two, get a nice cooking table thingy from IKEA, and have a minimal but very functional kitchen. Sometimes less really is more. Since you'll have a pantry, you don't need fancy counters or cabinets, just some working space. Think about the kitchens of the '30's - nothing fancy there, nothing built-in, but many meals made from scratch. A simpler kitchen is easier to keep clean, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 I would first ask the landlord if he was willing to update some of the appliances. Technically, you can live without the dishwasher, but a nicer stove for your family is reasonable. I used to watch a show on HGTV about people looking for rentals. The person helping them always suggested they try to negotiate with the landlord because it never hurts to ask. My first husband and I lived in a couple of rental houses where we made agreements with the landlords for various things. In one, our rent was reduced because my ex-husband took care of the maintenance for the house. It was a house split into 3 apartments. In another one, the last tenants had left it in really bad condition and we did all the work cleaning and repairing it. The worst case scenario is that the landlord doesn't want to make changes. In that case, I'd ask for some type of document that gets attached to the contract that states the conditions of the appliances and whatever else in the house really needs work. That should cover you from being charged for repairs or replacements later. I do think it sounds like a good rental overall because it meets so many of your needs. It's really hard to find a perfect place, whether renting or buying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 I am a military wife and have been for over 24 years. That means I usually get kitchens I don't like- in fact, I have never gotten a kitchen I really like. They all have problems. My current one is great functionally but the orange and grey tiled industrial flooring plus the strange green counters are ugly. The one we just bought has an older electric cook top (I want a gas one) and only one oven. It has too small place for a regular sized breakfast area right now (it will be perfect in four years when we are an empty nest couple) and the pantry is on the smaller side. The new one does look great though. But those are the choices we all have to go through. My worst kitchen were either in military housing -inadequate appliances, no room, and inadequate counter space, or when we were overseas- stoves that barely functioned, strange appliances that didn't work taking up space, ugly old cabinents, hardly any counters, etc, etc. You deal with it unless it is your one criteria. Your utmost criteria is sometimes strange to others but you should know what will make you desperately unhappy. I love to have good kitchens but to me, my desperation point would be ugly front yard. I have never had that and never will. It may not be the choice of landscaping I want but it can't be a weed or bare ground type yard. I have had ones I thought should be much nicer but they were never something I was cringing at every time I saw it. But that is me-- maybe for you it is that kitchen but as others have said, maybe you can negotiate or make it better enough to be able to stand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommaduck Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 No! I did this. I avoided that kitchen as much as I could. Never again. Kitchen is a top of the list item for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoughCollie Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 No, I would not. I have a too small kitchen now, and what makes it bearable is that at least it is fairly new, and has an island to make up for the miserable amount of counter space. I cook and bake a lot, from scratch, and it is frustrating because it is so small. What you would have to deal with would send me over the edge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tammyw Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 I am very picky with rentals (I hate renting, but with military life, we occasionally have found ourselves having to rent with the economy the way it is and not wanting to risk buying). I wouldn't rent a house that didn't fit our needs, number one being a nice kitchen. Same with bathrooms, hehe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 If you know your plan is to rent 2 or less years then I would say go for it. The timeline makes it bearable. If you have no idea how long then I'm iffy. I cook everything from scratch and due to some flooding almost a year ago and my dh's insisting he will do all the repairs my kitchen is a bad scene for me. I have pantry items in one room. Some cabinet and drawer contents in another. I have to carry small appliances (mixer, slow cooker) back and forth to the kitchen. It's clear there's no end in sight and it's very hard for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan C. Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 If there are no other options, I would take it. For six years, we had a small apartment with a very small kitchen (not even 2 ft. of counter space). I did gripe about it, but I adapted. (I have a large kitchen now, and cook in one spot in the corner from those days!) We even had an undersized frig. where I couldn't buy more than 3 days worth of food. I cook close to every meal. I see the stove our tract home has..... it costs all of $200 at Home Depot or Lowes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trailofsparks Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Yes, I would. I wouldn't trade a longer commute time for a larger kitchen. I've seen countertops that attach to the wall and fold up when not in use. Do you have wall space for something like that? I like what others suggested re: negotiating w/your landlord for upgrade to stove. I also like the idea of a portable dishwasher w/island type usage. Not sure where you live, but grilling on the bbq might be something you'd do more often! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melinda in VT Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 We bought a house with an awful kitchen, and although I enjoy my larger kitchen now, I loved that house and would buy it again in a similar situation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckabell Posted June 3, 2011 Author Share Posted June 3, 2011 Thank you everyone for the suggestions. We decided not to get the house due more to a "gut" feeling which I can't really explain. I think we could have made the kitchen work but even though the other space would have been nice it wasn't a necessity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarreymere Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 I cook from scratch in a kitchen similar to the one you describe! I have about two feet of counter space and that is not continuous. I have no dishwasher or disposal. My aging oven was the cheapest model of it's year. My 'good' mixing bowl is cheap plastic with a crack starting down one side. DH is so darn frugal that he can't see the value of spending any money on a decent kitchen or decent appliances, especially small appliances. "Breadmaker? Why would we need that?" " Decent stand mixer? Heck, put some elbow grease into it!" Grrrrrr..... Good luck finding a place with a decent kitchen. I'm jealous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Rat Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 Probably not. Kitchens are deal breakers for me though. I cook a lot and bake even more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 Get what you can change... in writing... do a video walk through... with a paper :) when you start renting... and finish renting :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newbie Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 No. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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