Renter’s Advice and Resources

Renting an apartment in today’s world almost always includes a lease application. Background checks, credit checks and a person’s demeanor are almost always used when choosing a renter; and having a previous eviction on your record is usually a huge red flag. Most landlords will not grant a second chance to you. They are usually looking for […]

Landlords use tenant screening as a method to protect their asset: the apartment. The rationale is that the more effective tenant screening they can conduct upfront, the less likely they’ll end up with a tenant who doesn’t pay rent or is likely to damage the property. Here’s the information that you can expect to disclose […]

Tenant screening is a process that most landlords and property management companies use to verify the credentials of a potential renter. The reports produced from tenant screening can range from a simple credit check to a registered sex offender check. Because a great amount of information is disclosed during the tenant screening process, all potential […]

One of the most difficult obstacles an applicant may face if having failed a renter background check. In many cases this may be all it takes for your application (and application fees) to be set aside and rejected. However, it does not mean it is the end of your ability to rent, and it may […]

As you prepare to move to a new location, you will most likely be interviewed in a tenant screening by your new community representative. Although you may feel confident going forward, it is still a good idea to prepare yourself for whatever challenges may lie within your screening. Here are 5 things to consider as […]

After days or weeks of apartment hunting, you’ve finally found the ideal apartment within your price range. Eager to land the apartment, you ask to fill out an application, only to discover that you need proof of employment. You’re not sure how to go about providing proof and wonder why the landlord finds it necessary. […]

When you make the decision to sublet your apartment, you have also made the decision to, yourself, become a landlord. It is important to consider the legal ramifications of your decision, and it is important to go about the sublet properly to ensure that you do not have any legal issues. Follow these guidelines in […]

Whether leaving a job or a community where you have built a positive reputation it is never a bad idea to get a reference. Even if you think that you may not need it, you never know when you are in a situation when you wish you had it, and management may have turned over by then. Hindsight is 20/20, so have the foresight to prepare for the future.

David, a Mexican-American, was looking for an affordable one-bedroom apartment in the Washington, D.C. area. After spotting an ad in the local paper, he called the landlord who described what sounded like the perfect apartment over the phone. But when David showed up to meet the landlord and tour the apartment, he was told it was no longer available. David suspects that the landlord would rather not rent to him because of his race.