Renting an apartment is a big step in a person’s life. Whether it is your first place away from your family, or you are starting fresh in a new city, it can be an exciting time. And as UMoveFree has noticed, many people can benefit from assistance when it comes to finding an apartment. There are lots of options out there, and finding the right one can be challenging.
This is especially true if your credit history is less than perfect. If this is the case, you may find it hard to locate anyone willing to rent to you. That is, however, unless you find someone who is gracious enough to provide a second chance rental. Without any further ado, let’s go over some tips to help find landlords that can provide second chance rentals.
Do Some Online Research
The first step to find someone to provide a second-chance rental to you is to do some research. Some companies or landlords may advertise that they provide these types of rentals and if you can find them, your search is over.
If you can’t find any information by searching, consider asking around on social media. If someone in a similar situation to you has had success with a certain landlord or rental company, that is a good place to start. This process can take some time, but it is certainly worth it if you can find a high-quality landlord.
Be Prepared
Another way to convince a landlord to provide you with a second-chance rental is to be prepared. Getting an apartment is often a time full of different checks, questions, and paperwork. You want to be as prepared as possible for all of these events. Fill out forms accurately and quickly, and always bring the necessary documents to every meeting.
Also, if you have had rental experience (that was positive) you could get someone to create a landlord reference letter for you, too. The more prepared you are for every meeting or phone call, the better you will look. While this might not be enough to overcome your poor credit history, some landlords may be sympathetic.
Be Honest and Show Progress
Being honest is another great idea when looking for a second-chance rental. Instead of trying to hide your history or lie about things, simply be honest. Tell them why you are in the situation you are in, and how long you have been dealing with it. Many will respect your honesty and that you didn’t try to skirt around the issues.
In addition to being honest about your struggles, you also want to show your progress. Speak about how your situation is improving, and the things you are doing to get on the right track. Sometimes, this progress can be enough to convince them that you are someone worth renting their home or unit to.
Consider Having a Cosigner
If you are still struggling to find a second-chance rental despite trying the earlier tips, a good idea could be to get a cosigner. This is someone who will sign an online lease agreement document with you and will be responsible for any debts you may owe to the landlord from lease-related penalties to missing payments.
This makes you less risky as a tenant, as you have someone who will cover you if you cannot pay for one reason or another. Make sure the cosigner you work with has a good credit history, as two people with a poor credit history aren’t all that encouraging to a landlord.
Of course, if you bring someone on as a cosigner to help you get an apartment, don’t take that lightly. Do all you can to make your rent payments every month and be a model tenant, so your co-signer isn’t stuck fixing (or paying for) your mistakes.
In most cases, this cosigner will be a friend or family member, so don’t take advantage of their kindness or willingness to help you. If you do, it could lead to a damaged relationship that may not be able to be fixed.
We hope that the tips and information in this article have been able to help you learn how to locate landlords that can provide second-chance rentals. It’s not always easy, but with the right preparation and work, it can certainly be done.