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My family and I are relocating to the area soon. We planned on being there by the 2nd of August, however have ran into huge snags on housing. Does anyone know any good landlords in the areas of Goose Creek/Summerville and maybe some Charleston areas? We are being denied from stuff that is over 7 years old, we really cant understand why. We have great renting history besides one crazy wack job of a landlord. Any help would be great.
I've been here only a year, but we chose a place on James Island -- The Islands Apartments and Townhomes. It's a quick jump to downtown Charleston...I believe it's about a half hour drive from Summerville.
I worked in residential property management for several years back in Wisconsin. I'm not sure what would be keeping landlords from renting to you if the items you are referring to are over 7 years old. The only things we would have been cautious about from that that long ago would have been criminal records or a bankruptcy. And even the bankruptcy, we would have just asked for a higher security deposit.
That said, I don't really know what the general laws are in South Carolina and each apartment community is likely going to have their own standards and limits within those general rules. If an apartment community has a policy that they will not take someone with a bankruptcy (as an example) if it's less than 10 years old, then they need to follow that policy or risk discrimination issues. You know what I mean?
If your application is being denied, you should be advised why you are being denied. Again, without knowing the specific laws here, we were not allowed to discuss someone's credit or background checks with any specifics, but we provided them with phone numbers to contact the agency we ran the checks through so someone could discuss the decision with them in more detail.
Are you providing other landlord references in addition to the crazy one? If you give them 2 or 3 other landlord references (or if you've had a mortgage that was paid as agreed, which will show up on credit) that will sometimes discredit the landlord that's not playing nice.
I've been here only a year, but we chose a place on James Island -- The Islands Apartments and Townhomes. It's a quick jump to downtown Charleston...I believe it's about a half hour drive from Summerville.
I worked in residential property management for several years back in Wisconsin. I'm not sure what would be keeping landlords from renting to you if the items you are referring to are over 7 years old. The only things we would have been cautious about from that that long ago would have been criminal records or a bankruptcy. And even the bankruptcy, we would have just asked for a higher security deposit.
That said, I don't really know what the general laws are in South Carolina and each apartment community is likely going to have their own standards and limits within those general rules. If an apartment community has a policy that they will not take someone with a bankruptcy (as an example) if it's less than 10 years old, then they need to follow that policy or risk discrimination issues. You know what I mean?
If your application is being denied, you should be advised why you are being denied. Again, without knowing the specific laws here, we were not allowed to discuss someone's credit or background checks with any specifics, but we provided them with phone numbers to contact the agency we ran the checks through so someone could discuss the decision with them in more detail.
Are you providing other landlord references in addition to the crazy one? If you give them 2 or 3 other landlord references (or if you've had a mortgage that was paid as agreed, which will show up on credit) that will sometimes discredit the landlord that's not playing nice.
Thanks for the response. They are telling us its due to the items that are 7+ years old, no bankruptcy or anything like that. We have given them 3-4 prior landlords, we have even offered to pay the deposit and a couple months rent.. cash in hand before we even get there. So *insert word here* frustrating. I wish I could see the rentals in the papers as there are always more there than what you see online.
Thanks for the response. They are telling us its due to the items that are 7+ years old, no bankruptcy or anything like that. We have given them 3-4 prior landlords, we have even offered to pay the deposit and a couple months rent.. cash in hand before we even get there. So *insert word here* frustrating. I wish I could see the rentals in the papers as there are always more there than what you see online.
The Post & Courier is the local newspaper I receive. Here is a link to the classifieds where you can search rentals:
Edited: I just realized you said there is more in the print edition. I have the Sunday paper here and can take a peek for you and send you a message with what I find in Goose Creek and Summerville. Is there a specific price range you are looking for?
In that case, skip the apartment complexes and look for a private landlord. Run your own credit reports at www.annualcreditreport.com for free and figure out what could be on there that's wrong (Actually, according to FCRA laws, the one's you've already applied with HAVE to give you the reason and a notice on which credit reporting agency they used and give you the FCRA notice that you can request a copy of your report for free.).
Once you know what's on there, and assuming it's legitimate and not an error, then be upfront with the prospective landlord. I am a landlord and it baffles me that people will stand in front of me as they write checks for $50 to cover my costs of running background checks for 2 people and swear up and down that they have no credit problems. Then I run the report and find out their car was repo'd, they don't pay their cell phone bills and they skip out on the electric and water bill, too. Then I call the landlord references and find out they are "Great tenants!" (Not, it was a friend of theirs posing as a landlord.) Just be honest. Obviously if you had perfect credit and no issues, you'd probably buy a house. Most people do or want do so ASAP. So landlords have to learn to read between the lines (medical bill slow pay is one thing, not paying your electric is another). Driving a flashy car after already have a repo in the past few years? Nope! Driving a car he/she paid cash for while they work to rebuild their credit? Yep. Etc... you get my drift.
Check Craigslist, Postlets, etc. for places to rent. Most landlords I know do not use the newspaper anymore -- too expensive and not enough eyeballs.
I agree with xinerevelle. I have rentals (none vacant) and there's a lot of upstanding people out there with credit issues these days. The main problem I have with tenants is them wanting to break the lease early, without warning and use the security deposit as the last month's rent. Having the first month, last month and security deposit paid up front goes a long way with me.
I have a couple who showed up to look at one of my rentals with both their credit reports, clean police reports, employment history and landlord references all printed out for me. They've been great tenants and are about to sign up for their third year.
There are a couple of rental homes in the River Birch subdivision in Summerville. One is through Century 21 and the other through Carolina One. I was looking for a rental and stumbled upon these.
When I rented a home, I always came with my own credit report, job verification and references. It makes the leasing of a home much easier.
Well we are not in the area, I can not show up with that stuff. We are honest and advise them of the issues on our report.. do not know what else we can do, looks like our move may not happen now. Starting to feel like "them damn Yankees" really are hated.
Well we are not in the area, I can not show up with that stuff. We are honest and advise them of the issues on our report.. do not know what else we can do, looks like our move may not happen now. Starting to feel like "them damn Yankees" really are hated.
But you can still provide them with those documents when you fill out the application, rather than wait for them to ask. Countless people have come to the area renting first with no trouble, so I doubt it's about where you are coming from that's the problem. The rental inventory is just so low that landlords can afford to be very choosey. I had so much trouble with my last tenants that I am now very strict about who I let into my house. I'm sure it seems unfair to people I turn away, but the risk when renting out a house is HUGE, and a bad tenant is an absolute nightmare.
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