Moving to Portland, could use some wisdom (apartment, rentals)

[Beaubert08]

Hi, I'm going to be moving to Portland from Big Bear Lake, CA this August to attend PCC with two friends of mine. I've done extensive research and know plenty about the city. I'm visiting on the the 21st of this month through the 24th to make sure I like it there. I just need to know what some of you would suggest to do in my situation: we're looking for a three bedroom house or apartment. Problem is, the two girls I'm moving with will be barely nineteen, and I will be barely 18. We haven't yet established credit, nor do we have any rental references outside of family members(you gotta start somewhere!) What would you recommend for obtaining a lease? I've learned from previous posts that it is imperative to visit rentals in person. Anything else you can recommend so that we don't end up homeless? Anything at all will be appreciated!

-Beau

[oldtintype]

Bring lots of money for a deposit--some property management companies will rent to you for an increased deposit when you don't have credit or rental references. Can you find a co-signer?

And more than anything....don't blow it when you find a place. Don't have loud parties and pay your rent on time. Keep the place nice. One screw up in terms of eviction for loud parties or even just several late rent payments will keep you from getting another apartment for at least three years.

You can also check out this place--you don't have to have credit or references to live here, you just have to be a student (and PCC counts). It's kind of pricey but three of you can share a place because they're big: College Housing Northwest PDX - Housing Students Choose

[Beaubert08]

Superbly helpful, many thanks Oldtintype.
I'm sure we can get at least one of our parents to cosign. It would appear that the College Housing doesn't have any available units right now, but I'll probably call and see how to go about getting a place. It's going to be a little difficult I'm sure, one of my future roommates is very set on bringing her dog with us. It's a pit bull, albeit well-behaved (her mother trains service dogs,) most places I've seen online have breed restrictions...which means pit bulls :-p.

Thank you again so much for your advice.

[oldtintype]

Yeah I'd say three 18 year old(ish) people with no credit, rental references and a pit bull are going to have some problems finding a place. Maybe she should leave her dog with the mom.

[Beaubert08]

I would agree, but that is her one condition, that she gets to have her dog, and technically I'm tagging along with her. Though I'm sure she would choose dogless over homeless. We'll see how it goes when we visit and talk to some of the complexes. We may very well have to re-evaluate the situation. She does plan to get the pup "Canine-Good-Citizen Certified" and trained as a therapy dog though. I would imagine that would help.

[One Thousand]

Originally Posted by Beaubert08

Anything else you can recommend so that we don't end up homeless? Anything at all will be appreciated!

A back-up plan. Don't burn your bridges, you'll be needing to cross them again.

[Beaubert08]

Duly noted. Unfortunately, after San Francisco fell through for me, Portland IS my backup plan.

[One Thousand]

Originally Posted by Beaubert08

Duly noted. Unfortunately, after San Francisco fell through for me, Portland IS my backup plan.

If you have family, now would be the time to call them. If you don't, be careful. Contrary to what your first 18 years of experience might have convinced you, the world is a bad place and Portland is no different. In fact, as a grown man, Portland is where I learned that lesson. It's a culture the prizes manipulative and exploitive tendencies.

Bad people don't wear a sign... they wear a smile.

[Beaubert08]

You mistake me for naive. I am well aware of the big bad world and the big bad people in it. And while this awareness has helped me sidestep some potentially dangerous situations, it doesn't give me cause to be scared. One's outlook greatly determines how the world treats him or her. My age should be of little indication of my experience. There should be no reason for me to go and live with my family, as you appear to have suggested, when millions of college students my age make the migration from their families into cities much bigger and much scarier than Portland. My request for advice did not include whether or not I should be moving, but how. I'll ask any future responders to take that into consideration. That being said, I appreciate your concerns, or at least what is intended to seem as concern. While my rebuttal might seem defensive (I'm sure it does, because it is) I hope you understand how condescending your post came off as, whether it was intentional or not.

[One Thousand]

Fair enough.