What You Need to Apply for a Rental Home
Before you begin your search and apply for a rental home, you’ll want to have all of your application information ready to go. Below is a list of what to bring with you or at least have readily available, so that your dream rental home doesn’t go to someone who was more on the ball.
Identification
Your drivers license, passport or any other valid government issued photo identification will work. You should also know your social security number or bring your social security card with you.
Rental history
Keep a list of names, numbers and addresses of previous landlords, as well as the dates that you lived there. This is your rental history. If you are a new renter you can use personal references instead, or consider having a parent co-sign the lease. Responsible people (employers, community and church leaders) who can vouch for you are an added value to any renter’s profile, so even if you’ve a long history of renting, it’s good to keep a few personal references in your file.
Real Property Management runs a background check on all new applicants which shows previous residences as well as evictions, which can be cross-referenced with the information provided by the renter.
Credit history
How much you make and how well you deal with financial responsibility (i.e. how timely you are with paying bills, handling debt, etc) are important aspects of your profile for landlords to know. Your employment information (contact info and dates) along with a month’s worth of paystubs and/or bank statement, or a signed contract from your employer are all useful documents.
Real Property Management will pull an applicant’s credit information, along with any record of bankruptcy, eviction or criminal history in a background search, but you’ll want to provide as much information as possible on your application.
Checkbook/funds
Once you find a rental, be prepared to pay the application fee and a deposit. Make sure you’re financially ready to pay for both of these expenses when you start looking for a rental. It’s important to note that a deposit is usually equal to one or sometimes two months of rent, so make sure you have the funds available.
With Real Property Management, tenants can apply (and pay rent) through an online system. Once an application is approved, the new tenant should expect to pay the deposit within three days.
A good application with solid references and great credit and rental history says a lot about an applicant, but if you aren’t prepared with the required information and funds then the opportunity to apply for and obtain your rental could easily pass you by! Come prepared!
