Before the lease
Before They Sign
The parent’s playbook for the first off-campus lease. Check the property, find the true cost, and know your risk as co-signer.
47 pages · 7 scripts · 12 worksheets
$49See inside
For parents of college students
Your name is on the lease too.
Simple, step-by-step guides that help you check the apartment, understand what you’re co-signing, set up the roommates, and get the deposit back. Written by a landlord who is also a parent.
Instant PDF download · Printable worksheets · 30-day money-back guarantee
Sound familiar?
The landlord wants an answer by Friday. The guaranty form wants your signature.
For a lot of families, the first off-campus lease is the first real contract their student signs, and the parent is the one standing behind it. Most of us get about 48 hours and a PDF to figure it out.
- 01“What am I actually agreeing to pay?”
Some guaranties cover your student’s share. Some cover every roommate, with no cap and no end date.
- 02“Is this place even safe?”
Photos don’t show missing smoke alarms, broken locks, or a bedroom with no way out.
- 03“What does it really cost?”
Rent is the number on the listing. Utilities, fees and upfront cash are the number in your bank account.
- 04“What if a roommate stops paying?”
On many joint leases, the landlord can collect the gap from anyone who signed.
The system
Every decision ends with one of three calls.
No guessing and no gut feelings. You check the facts, label what’s still unknown, and make a clear decision you can stand behind.
Proceed
What you need to know is in writing, the numbers work for your family, and nothing serious is unresolved.
Investigate
Something is missing or unclear. Assign it to someone with a deadline, and don’t sign yet.
Walk away
A serious problem is confirmed and won’t be fixed in writing before signing.
The guides
One for each moment that costs parents money.
Before move-in
The Roommate Agreement Kit
Six short conversations that cover nearly every roommate fight, and a written agreement everyone signs.
28 pages · 5 scripts · 10 worksheets
$29See inside
At the end of the lease
Move-Out & Deposit Recovery Kit
Eight steps from notice to refund, plus a demand letter template for when the deposit doesn’t come back.
30 pages · 6 scripts · 10 worksheets
$29See inside
Best value
The Complete Off-Campus Parent Kit
All three guides, 18 scripts and 32 worksheets. Everything from the first apartment tour to the last deposit check.
Free download
10 Questions to Ask Before You Co-Sign
A one-page checklist you can use today, before you sign anything. We’ll email it to you right away.