Alexandria Apartment Hunting (apartments, leasing, credit score)

[rosie74]

Can anyone tell me what the typical deposits and fees are for renting an apartment in NOVA? I am looking for a 2 bedroom place with a friend in Alexandria and had several leasing offices give me itemized lists of fees that I thought were ridiculous. The fees for my two cats added up to an additional $200 to $500 in non-refundable deposits (plus an additional rental fee per month of $50 to $60, which I expected). I was also told that the security deposit amount was dependant on a credit check. So, I can't tell what my security deposit would be until after I pay a non-refundable processing fee. Then the deposit could be anywhere from $200 to one month's rent PLUS $200 or we may have to have a cosigner. Huh?

I am getting really frusterated. It is impossible for me to know what my budget is when I can't get any straight answers. I also had a leasing office tell me that rents can fluctuate with the market rate, so an apartment that can be locked in now at a rate of $1300 per month could cost more if we rented it in, say, March. Are they just scamming me? I have lived in several Northeastern cities and this just seems nuts.

[pcity]

Not sure about cats. Without the pets though, most places have a set security deposit if you have decent credit. They should have at least been able to give you a better ballpark figure.

The market fluctuation thing is definitely the case everywhere in this area. Rents tend to go down in the winter, and back up in the spring. So if you lock in your lease rate now, you'll be in better shape than if you lock it in in March.

[mlv311]

The processing fee is an application fee. It covers the cost of doing a credit check. It's been years since I've rented, but I've never paid more than $50 (typically it was $25-$30). The security deposit will vary. Usually it is one month's rent. Some renters will charge you a pet deposit fee; others may charge you a pet fee every month. It sounds like the place you were looking into will charge a different security deposit based on your credit score. I would keep looking for a place with clear fees. Look into apartments for rent by owner. Your pet fees may not be as high. Good luck.