Lease hinkiness. So the gf and I discovered an apartment we could afford, with a garage I can use to work on my bikes, space for most of our stuff, and really convenient to the public transportation I'd need to take to my new job. I got an e-mail from the real estate agent today that the landlord liked our applications and that they were just waiting to hear from our past landlords. But →[More:] she is asking for a 7 month lease, ending Aug. 31. This is great for her, because rents are highest at that time of year in this area, what with all the college students flocking to Boston.

Contadina and I decided it's not a dealbreaker, but it seems like a really rotten deal to us and an act of bad faith on the part of the landlord. If she decides she does not want to renew the lease for whatever reason, we're stuck looking for apartments in the worst/most expensive part of the year. Same thing if we decide we don't like her as a landlady. Plus, she can jack the rent up on us after only 7 mo. Grumble.

My initial reaction is to, once we hear back that we've got the apartment for sure, contact the agent and very politely and diplomatically ask if we can have a compromise. I'd prefer a standard 12 month lease; I mean, the reason we're moving at this time of year is precisely to capitalize on the market—both rental and purchase, should we decide to buy a house together. Prices just tend to be better this time of year. I'd settle for a six-month, with a review period and a rent freeze; meaning we can terminate the lease in six months but if we decide to stay, the rent is frozen for the remainder of the year (and is reviewed on an annual basis). But really, I don't want to get into dealing here. Because anything that engenders bad blood almost guarantees us either losing the apartment (now or at the renewal) or suffering an excessive, vindictive rent increase at renewal. I'd love to come up with something that is mutually beneficial, especially since the story is that this woman is taking care of the property for an elderly aunt/grandmother (the actual owner) who is in a nursing home and supposedly relying on this property for some of her income. I'm not looking to screw, but not looking to be screwed, either. Fact of the matter is that the rents at this time of year are what they are and it's not our fault we're being diligent consumers and taking advantage of the market cycle. Fact of the matter also is that we can lose the apartment and, in all likelihood, end up paying much more for the same thing (which is counter to our goal of saving for a house) at the whim of the landlord. There is another application behind ours in line; we just got them our deposit first.

So what do you bunnies think about this situation? What would you do in my shoes? Is this excessive landlord weirdness that we should quietly back away from, acknowledging that some deals really are just too good to be true? Do we suck it up and knuckle under so as to not risk losing the deal altogether? Or do we risk a tactful negotiation where we very politely push back and see what flexibility there is if any? I'm inclined to go for the last option, but I guess I'm mildly reticent A) because I'm not dealing with the landlord directly, rather her intermediary, the agent (which makes it hard to establish a dialogue and also to feel out how open/receptive/approachable she is) and B) the missus has basically entrusted this to me as the more diplomatic of the two of us (her words! not mine). I've had plenty of doors slam in my face but now I'd be slamming it in both our faces. Still, I'm curious what other people think about this, especially since I know there are a few landlords out in bunnyland.