Be a Great Tenant, in Landlord's View

When Todd Toler, a web developer, and his wife, wanted to become homeowners, they weren't sure how to approach their landlord. However, Toler had a good relationship with his landlord and decided to let him know their situation outright. Even though they still had six more months on their lease, the landlord agreed to switch it over to month-to-month. That way, when they finally closed on their new home, they were able to let him know and move out seamlessly and without any hard feelings.

"Not only did we go month-to-month, we were month-to-month for a year and a half," he says. "Our real estate deals kept getting delayed and falling through.

Becoming the kind of tenant for whom a landlord will go out of his or her way is not simply the stuff of fairy tales. You too can improve your relationship by following 10 simple steps.