Moving to PDX with Strong Rental History but Weak Credit (Portland: RV parks, rentals)

[bler144]

Originally Posted by oregonwoodsmoke

You don't fix your credit by getting credit cards. You fix your credit by paying off your debts and making all future payments for everything on time from this point on.

Part of your credit score is based on your use of the credit available to you. If you don't hold any credit cards, your score will be lower. Your score will be higher if you have some credit already and show you've been using it responsibly.

That said, if you already have 5 cards, then getting more is more likely to hurt than help. But having none actually hurts you as well, believe it or not.

And certainly, paying your bills on time matters a great deal as well.

[nregnier]

Originally Posted by oregonwoodsmoke

I'm a landlord and I'm not buying it. Anyone old enough to have 4 children is old enough that anything that happened in their teens should have already fallen off your credit report. If your credit is currently bad, it is because of bad financial management a lot more recent than your teen years.

I don't want to "buy it" either, however, it's truth. We were uneducated, young and "broke" when we started our family. We didn't know the importance of establishing and maintaining a great credit score. It started out with putting off this bill to pay that bill, and that became the pattern for a while. By the time we were a little more wet behind the ears we had established a financially unhealthy habit. It wasn't until recently that someone at the bank had mercy on us and began to educate us on the importance we knew it wasn't perfect, however we didn't know it was that bad. So once we knew better we wanted to do better towards repairing it. We took turns going to college, this way we could take rebuild or credit for our angels.

The good from it is, now we make sure to emphasize the importance of a credit score to our children. We take full accountability for our previous financial choices and are actively repairing it while we are trying to get settled.

Originally Posted by oregonwoodsmoke

I set a high value to the current and prior landlord reference. It sounds suspiciously like I wouldn't rent to you, but some landlords will take the chance if you have excellent landlord references and can verify sufficient income. All we landlords are aware that some people will pay their rent even if they can't pay any other bills. I don't accept those people, but some landlords do.

So, if you have good references, plenty of income, no criminal record, then some landlord will take you.

I suggest that you get copies of your credit report to take around with you. Most landlords can look at that before you pay your application fee and tell you if it is hopeless. You will still have to pay the fee, they will still run your credit, and they might still reject you for a different reason, but at least you will be over the first hurdle of your credit.

In Oregon, you can ask to see the landlord's written criteria that they use to select tenants. If they charge a fee, they are supposed to show that to you if you ask to see it. That way you can see if there is anything on there that will get your rejected.

In the meantime we are trying to figure out the best way to establish housing so we can repair just that not to mention the fresh start. There must be some options available, at least we hope. We have an excellent rental history (always paid rents on time), finally becoming financially secure, never had a credit card, auto loan is paid off, however our credits are low due to delinquencies with utilities.

I thank you for your view, because I truly want to know how some landlords may view our situation, and you have given us a glimpse into that.

[hamellr]

[quote=nregnier;33968466

In the meantime we are trying to figure out the best way to establish housing so we can repair just that not to mention the fresh start. There must be some options available, at least we hope. We have an excellent rental history (always paid rents on time), finally becoming financially secure, never had a credit card, auto loan is paid off, however our credits are low due to delinquencies with utilities. [/QUOTE]

There are tons of blogs and news articles on the Internet on how to "fix" your credit. It's actually more like how to "build," your credit. http://CreditKarma.com is an OK place to start as you can see what your Credit Rating looks like over all and there is advice on how to build it up. Some of it you simply may not be able to do, but it's all baby steps.

Don't feel bad though, because I know where you're coming from as I was in the same boat in my youth. When you live close to the edge financially one unplanned emergency can send you over the edge. For me it was a $800 car repair bill. But now my credit is pretty dang good because I worked at it.

In your situation there are landlords who'll rent to you. Just right now, in Portland, they may be harder to find because of the low vacancy rate. You may also get stuck in an apartment complex that you don't like very well. I would start with American Property Management as they're one of the companies that didn't seem to weigh credit as heavily when I was renting there.

[nregnier]

Originally Posted by Nell Plotts

Bring references from your former landlords, that should help a lot. Have the reference discuss the fact that you pay rent on time and take care of the premises.

Thanks Nell, I will make sure to obtain our references while we're here before we arrive.

[nregnier]

Originally Posted by oldtintype

I rented with two different property owners in Portland who never ran my credit. They asked where I worked and for a past rental reference and that was it. However, I met them in person and spent a lot of time talking to them at the open house. I think with the tighter rental market you will find less people like this, but they're out there. I think your best bet is to go meet individual landlords and make a good impression. In my case I wasn't worried about my credit, it just happened to occur that way.

I also rented from a cop (in another city) who also never ran my credit but he did run my information thru his database to look at my (non existent) criminal record. He also talked to us for a while and I assume sized us up. I think it's standard for most landlords to base things on credit, but others have their own system.

I am thinking that this would probably be the thing we'll be more likely doing. Do you know of any temp living situations in the city, preferably N or NE.

[yamsnno]

Let's be honest here, the rental market in Portland is vicious. I have lived in the area for over 4 years and, I have been looking to move to a different rental property, but the prices have gone up about $300-450 a month for similar properties in the past two years, so I have stayed put for now. The rentals are gone in usually one day from Craig's list. It's a tough market. There is not a lot of vacancies in Portland/the vacancy rate is very low. Might want to check out "Portland Oregon vacancy rates, 2014" on google.

Not sure what area you are looking in, but I would suggest a large apartment complex to start or going through a realtor maybe? Just don't want you have any issues with finding housing. I live here have good credit and still can't find a decent place to rent under $1200 a month. Good luck to you.

[Lonney105]

Originally Posted by yamsnno

There is not a lot of vacancies in Portland/the vacancy rate is very low. Might want to check out "Portland Oregon vacancy rates, 2014" on google.

Are you referring to just Portland it self, or the Portland metropolitan area?

[Explorer Dave]

I just found this, looks interesting... DROM - Strike Debt!

[bler144]

Originally Posted by yamsnno

Let's be honest here, the rental market in Portland is vicious. I have lived in the area for over 4 years and, I have been looking to move to a different rental property, but the prices have gone up about $300-450 a month for similar properties in the past two years, so I have stayed put for now. The rentals are gone in usually one day from Craig's list. It's a tough market. There is not a lot of vacancies in Portland/the vacancy rate is very low. Might want to check out "Portland Oregon vacancy rates, 2014" on google.

On the places most people can afford, this is certainly true. I have seen a few rentals languish for a few months, but typically only when the sought price is either beyond the value ($1800 for a 2BR in Portsmouth, e.g.), and/or at the higher end of the income scale.

A nice 2BR/2BA for $650/mo that allows pets and is in a good location would be snapped up in a heartbeat.

[yamsnno]

Where are there rentals for $650 that are in safe neighborhoods?? I sure can't find any. I look on Craig's list, the newspapers, is there somewhere I am not looking that I should? I am interested!! I really want to MOVE.