How to Qualify
Renting an apartment requires a serious commitment. Our leases last a full year, which means the total money involved could be substantial. Because we charge an application fee, you’ll save both time and money by making sure you’re a qualified tenant before you apply.
Create a budget to determine whether you can afford an apartment with us. Start with your monthly take-home pay. Subtract fixed expenses such as credit card bills, car loans, student loans and other bills you have to pay every month. Next, subtract the cost of living expenses. Include a realistic food budget as well as the cost of utilities, transportation, insurance, clothing, cable TV, Internet service and other necessities. Next, set aside money for an emergency savings fund. The cash that remains is the amount you can spend on rent. Ideally, it should total no more than 30 percent of your gross monthly income — that is, the amount you earn before taxes, health insurance and retirement savings are deducted.
1 Order a free copy of your credit report to look for blemishes that might hurt your chances of having a rental application approved as well as errors that might lower your score. Bring past-due accounts current. Follow the credit bureau’s instructions for correcting mistakes. Highly recommended
2 Gather references. Contact current and past employers who can verify that you have a solid work history. Ask permission to use them as references. If you do use them, ask for a written reference on company letter head. Ask current and past landlords to serve as references as well. If you have a pet a written reference form the current or previous landlord is recommended. A photo of the pet is required. It’s important to establish that you have reliable income and, if possible, a history of on-time rent payments. Highly recommended
3 Compensate for a weak application. Find a cosigner if your income falls short. Reduce debt by paying your bills on time for several months to boost a low credit score. Prove your value as a reliable, responsible employee to strengthen your references. If you’re currently renting, pay your rent a day or two early each month and get receipts for each payment so you can share them with your prospective landlord. Highly recommended
4 Disclose any serious problems with your rental history for the past three to five years. Primarily this means evictions or broken leases. Explain the circumstances. Remember, a prospective landlord is going to run your application with a tenant-checking service and so will find out about such problems in any case. Your honesty gives you the best chance of qualifying for the apartment and saves you the cost of an application fee if not acceptable.
FICO SCORE OF 650 OR ABOVE (WITH EXCEPTIONS) IS REQUIRED FOR AN APPLICATION TO BE ACCEPTED
TO CALCULATE WHAT RENT YOU CAN AFFORD DO THE FOLLOWING:
ANNUAL INCOME DIVIDED BY 40 = MONTHLY RENT YOU CAN AFFORD (APPROXIMATELY)
APPLICATIONS WITH INFORMATION MISSING WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED
