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We all know how to rent a typical, cookie-cutter apartment or house. Find a contact number. Set-up a walk through. Fill out the application. Pay your fee and wait for a response.<\/p>\nWe all know how to rent a typical, cookie-cutter apartment or house. Find a contact number. Set-up a walk through. Fill out the application. Pay your fee and wait for a response.<\/p>\n
But sometimes typical just doesn’t cut it.<\/p>\n
Maybe you’re looking to secure a unique apartment in an irresistible location. Or you might be seeking the only house for rent in a certain school district. Heck, you may even find yourself in New Zealand needing a short-term (3-month) lease when everyone wants a 6-month minimum. *raises hand*<\/i><\/p>\n
Whatever your motivation, here are nine ways you can knock the socks off your next landlord or property manager:<\/p>\n
1. Create a Rental R\u00e9sum\u00e9.<\/strong> Treat this like you would a job search. The majority of applications are going to ask for the same information. Put together a basic one- or two-page document containing this commonly requested information. Even if the landlord or property manager makes you fill out the application anyway, at least you’ll already have everything on hand. Be sure to include:<\/p>\n 2. Pull your own credit report.<\/strong> Use AnnualCreditReport.com<\/a>, if possible. Pulling your own credit report ahead of time will ensure that you are aware of the information contained in the report. If there are any negative marks, be sure to include a written statement of explanation (especially for any bankruptcies, evictions, or missed rent payments).<\/p>\n 3. Obtain and include full letters of reference.<\/strong> Most rental applications only ask for the contact information of your references. However, as with a job, you can go the extra mile by including full letters of recommendation from previous landlords, property managers, or apartment complexes. As a property manager, I was more than willing to write these for our best tenants. Many apartment complexes have a standard reference letter they provide to past tenants upon request.<\/p>\n 4. Provide copies of commonly requested “further information”.<\/strong> This is especially important for the self-employed or those with inconsistent employment length. Commonly requested information can include copies of recent paystubs, recent years’ tax returns, net worth statements, bank statements, and income\/expense reports for small businesses. Also, landlords may request copies of identification like driver’s licenses, social security cards, or birth certificates.<\/p>\n\n
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Social Security numbers<\/s> Previous commenters note that you may want to wait to reveal your Social Security information<\/li>\n