Do you really want to get that apartment?
There are certain areas where the demand for apartment units is very high. Places where tourism is booming, where factories or business offices are aplenty, where schools and universities are nearby – are places where apartments are highly sought after. In such situation, after proper preliminary checking of the apartment unit has been made and you have made a decision that you want that unit, you should be ready to fight off the competition.
There are some ways you can edge out the competition when rental properties are in high demand:
1. Be Ready with your Credit Check
Under normal circumstances, the apartment owner or manager will have to initiate checking on your credit report. But since a lot of renters like you are lined up on an apartment unit, it will come in handy for the property owner or manager to have a copy of your credit report ahead of the others. It would take time for the apartment owners to request for a copy of the other applicants’ credit report, so you are way ahead of them. It would cost you about $30 for a merged report from all three credit rating companies.
2. First-Hand Referrals
Request the property owner to provide you with first-hand referrals for the target apartment. If you are eyeing one of the Oviedo apartments in Seminole County in the Orlando metro area, you can make a survey on the students of the University of Central Florida to find out what they have to say about the apartments in Oviedo. You can talk to friends or relatives who have students studying in the university to check their personal opinion of the place in terms of livability, security and safety and convenience.
3. Prepare Your References
It’s a hot rental market so expect a lot of people just like you trying to out-winother potential renters. Make things easier for the rental property manager or owner by preparing for them as much relevant document they need as possible. You know they will check your credit report, so bring them a copy in advance. They will check your background so provide them with your character references before they even ask for them. You can give them a copy of letters of reference from current to past landlords, professors, employers, colleagues, or friends. The apartment owner needs to verify your credit standing, integrity and credibility.
4. Pre-apply
If the apartment is published online, fill out a rental application form in advance. If the apartment owner requires that you fill out another form in their presence, it will be easier because you have all the details sorted out already on the pre-application form. Your preparedness and enthusiasm may leave a positive impact on the prospective landlord.
5. Prepare Your Checklist / Questions
This will help you ask all the relevant questions you may have about the apartment. Without a list you might forget to ask if they would allow you to plant on the flowerbox. With a checklist you are able to go through each item of concern briefly and get an answer from the apartment owner. It makes it easy for you to remember one apartment from the other.
With all these prepared and done, you are ready to visit the apartment buildings you have marked and talk to the prospective landlord. You’re a step away from living in your first ever apartment.
