What are the qualifications necessary to lease an apartment?
Management companies usually look at three components to qualify you for a lease - your
job history, rental history and credit history. We pre-qualify you, but qualification
criteria varies from community to community. This creates a wide range of qualifying
guidelines. Generally speaking:
Employment
Typically your gross income needs to be 3 to 4 times the monthly rental amount. For
example, if you are looking at a $500 a month apartment, your gross income (before taxes)
needs to $1500 per month on a "3 times the rent" criteria and $2000 per month on
a "4 times the rent" criteria.
Rental history
Two years rental history is usually verified. A prospective landlord will want to know
things like whether you filled the lease term, whether proper notice was given, was the
unit left clean, was rent paid on time, etc.
Credit Management
Companies use one of the three main credit reporting agencies. What constitutes acceptable
credit varies widely. The absence of credit is usually not a problem.
There are many apartment communities that will take into account
special circumstances and still others that do not take into account any credit history.
That's how our experience comes in handy. We know the properties that will accommodate
your needs and will match you to them.
How long does it normally take to find an apartment?
I Ideally, you should begin looking for an apartment 5-6 weeks in advance. However, we can
accommodate immediate move-ins. In just 2 or 3 hours, on average, you can view a
sufficient number of properties to make a decision. We save you time by using our
knowledge to sort through the properties and only show those that suit your needs. Check
in our moving center for the moving checklist. It will help you get everything done on
time.
What steps do I have to go through to find an apartment?
First, contact us! Tell us what you are looking for and we'll do all the work from there.
We'll enter your criteria in our state-of-the-art custom database, check availability of
each community and call you with the results. It's that simple! We will arrange an
appointment at your convenience and personally escort you to the properties that suit your
needs. We make finding an apartment as simple and efficient as possible.
Do you have furnished apartments?
We have numerous ways to accommodate furnished apartment needs. We have listings of
furnished units from the apartment communities. We work closely with a furniture rental
company, and have negotiated special discounts with them, if you wish to furnish the
apartment yourself. And we have relationships with companies that rent corporate suites
that come complete with everything - utilities, furniture, linens, kitchen utensils, and
more.
How long of a lease do I have to sign?
The standard lease terms are for 6- and 12-months. However, many communities will offer
short term leases such as 3-months, and occasionally month to month. Often the lease term
will be extended to 7 or 13 months when a promotion such as one month free is offered. You
should sign a lease for as long as you anticipate living there. A longer term lease
protects you against price increases. For example, if you plan on moving to another city
in a year. If you sign a 6-month lease, you might be surprised to find the rent is now
significantly higher than you have been paying and you still want to stay another 6
months!
Do you have townhomes, condos, duplexes and houses?
Yes. We carry individual listings and subscribe to a service that posts listings from
property management companies.
Do you offer corporate housing?
O Our corporate relocation department works closely with the best corporate housing
companies in the country. Corporate housing is an apartment that is completely furnished
and set up with all the amenities of home. It offers the convenience of a hotel with the
room and atmosphere of an apartment. All items are provided such as furniture, linens,
pots, pans, utensils, and utilities. Cleaning service can also be arranged.
Do you have apartments with lots of trees or views?
Absolutely. Because we know the details of the various communities, we can show you those
that have exactly the landscaping and views you are looking for.
What is a studio apartment?
We classify a studio as a one room apartment or an apartment where the sleeping quarters
are not completely separated. Often efficiencies and studios are often the same floorplan.
Can you locate apartments in a safe area?
We are unable to comment on the safety or security of a particular area or community. You
may wish to contact the local police department and obtain crime statistics. The police
numbers are in the resource section of this page as well as in our move-in packets.
Do you have any segregated communities such as for adults only?
No. Current law does not allow for discrimination based on race, creed, religion, age, or
family status.
Do you have places that offer major employer discounts?
Yes, we have a corporate relocation department dedicated to relocation moves. Therefore,
we are especially aware of these types of specials.
What bills will I pay?
Typically, apartments furnish water, sewage and trash. This is not always the case,
especially with the newer properties, some of which require you to pay for water. Many
properties pay for extra utilities such as gas, hot water and cable. This could be a
deciding factor in choosing a property. Say you've found an apartment community you love
but the rent is $15 more than another place you're considering. Our database contains
information that may be relevant. We do a search and may find out that cable and gas for
heating and cooking are paid for in the community that's your first choice. That's a
monthly savings of well over $15. We can help you compare apples to apples.
Can I find out the average utility cost for the apartments in
which I am interested?
You can call the utility company and learn the cost of an average bill for the last
12-month period. Obviously it is only an average and for a user other than yourself. Your
usage, as well as other factors such as seasonal fluctuations, could cause your bill to
vary.
Do I have to go to the utility company to get my services
turned on?
It depends. Many communities participate in a "Read and change" program whereby
they transfer the utilities into your name when you move in. You will need to establish an
account with the utility company. Generally, a letter of good credit from your previous
utility provider should suffice. Our Locators will be able to provide information on what
utility company services there are in the community you have selected.
Are there any move-in specials?
Move-in specials are dependent on the nature of the rental market in the city where you
are moving. If occupancy rates are low, then apartment communities will have specials that
include low deposits, 1/2 month or 1 month free with the signing of a lease for a
particular period. If occupancy rates are high, then apartment communities generally do
not extend deposit of leasing specials. Be sure to discuss this with your Relocation
Consultant. If there are specials to be had, we know about them!
Do you have "all-bills-paid" communities?
There are very few "all-bills-paid" communities. Typically, these situations are
not beneficial. The rent is significantly higher than for a comparable unit to compensate
for the electricity costs. Consequently, you end up paying the same or more and having
less selection just for the convenience of not paying an electric bill each month.
What type of amenities do your properties have?
We represent properties in all price ranges with every type of amenity available.
Washer/dryers, views, weight rooms, intrusion alarms, limited access gates, maid service,
aerobics classes, fireplaces, wet bars, sunken bathtubs, lofts and more.
Can I get washer/dryer connections or an actual washer/dryer in
my apartment?
We have many communities that offer washer/dryer connections or the actual units. In
addition we've negotiated specials with washer/dryer rental companies to offer even more
alternatives and favorable pricing to our customers.
