
The majority of landlords impose fees even before you are authorized. You'll want to do that before you start looking so you can begin repairing any damage as soon as possible. While many sites charge a fee to check your credit score, the federal government permits you to check your credit history once a year with each credit agency (Experian, Equifax, and Transunion) for free. When you bring up the dings, be prepared to explain why and how the conditions have changed. If you have a few blemishes on your credit history, you should explain a mediocre credit score before the landlord finds out. (The score can range from 300 to 850, with 550-580 being a reasonable starting point for a first-time renter with a good salary in most parts of the country.) Those few late credit card payments you made in college can come back to bite you here. Almost every prospective landlord will check your credit score as well. Having a sufficient income to qualify for a rental is only the first step. (For example, if you earn $40,000 per year, your monthly target rent is $1,000.) If that figure is equal to or greater than the amount you want to pay in monthly rent, you're in good shape. Then, divide your total annual income by 40 to determine your ideal rent. To determine your limit, first determine how much money you make every year, including all sources of income. Gain the favor of prospective landlords by knowing the maximum rent you can afford based on your salary - and only looking at rentals that are at or below this amount. The primary purpose of a landlord is to ensure that you can pay the rent. Here are six strategies that will help you make your case: You don't have one, therefore you'll have to act in a way that will impress your future landlord. If you'd previously leased, you'd have a "rental resume"-references from prior landlords attesting to your ability to be a terrific, responsible renter. But don't worry!īut first, you must understand that your future landlord is only concerned with three things: that you pay your rent on time, that you do not damage the property, and that you do not cause any problems with your other tenants or, God forbid, the law. You begin to panic, thinking about what you might do to distinguish yourself as the ideal prospective tenant. You finally locate one that is exactly right for you, but there are 20 other people who want to see it as well. You're new to the apartment rental market, and you've spent several weekends hunting for a place.
