Finding and renting an apartment is an involved process, but what if you have a past eviction? Well, unfortunately, it may make it even more difficult for a tenant to rent an apartment. An eviction will who up on a credit report and in a background check, and this can make renting seem impossible since most landlords check one or both of these things.
First of all, remember that no one is perfect. In this economy, many people are having financial difficulties. Maybe you got evicted because you could no pay due to medical bills, unemployment, or other financial difficulties. There are other reasons to be evicted such as behavioral issues, but hopefully this does not pertain to your particular situation.
Here are some tips when trying to rent an apartment with a prior eviction:
Don’t try to hide an eviction. You may be tempted to hide the eviction from future potential landlords, but this may be one of the worst things you can do. Not only is honesty the best policy, hiding it will make it worse if you are approved and your landlord finds out later. So just how can they find out? Court records are available free of charge. All they have to do as a landlord is search online in the eviction records. So, be as upfront as possible.
Prepare an explanation. If you have an honest, solid reason for an eviction, some landlords will be understanding and accept your explanation. They may require you to pay a higher security deposit, but it is possible a landlord will have trust in spite of the eviction.
Rebuild your credit. While this certainly won’t happen overnight, getting your credit score back up to par will help while you are searching for an apartment and beyond. You can get free credit reports online so that you know exactly where you stand as far as your credit goes.
Get a thick skin. Many landlords will simply say no right off the bat. You need to have backup plans in order to prepare for rejection. Begin your search with plenty of time in advance.
Negotiate. Offer to pay more rent per month if you can afford it, or offer a co-signer. Or, you could propose a trial lease for three to six months. Be prepared to negotiate to get the apartment you want.
Focus on privately-owned apartments. Some landlords who are renting out a portion of their homes may be a little more understanding and flexible when it comes to your past eviction. Many forgo the credit check and do background checks instead, since they are mainly looking to see if you have a record for behavioral issues.
When you find an awesome apartment with a landlord who can work with you, you may be interested in to know the value of the apartment, condo, or house that you are renting. You can obtain a free home valuation report from Neighborhood IQ to find out how much a property is worth. Also, the Home Loan Advisor can analyze your property, current market conditions, local market comps, and other variables in our proprietary algorithm, and match you with potential lenders.
