Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I've already mentioned that a BK is not necessarily a deal breaker for me...
I know other owners where it is... to paraphrase what one told me a few weeks ago... we all make choices in life and choosing whether or not to marry or to whom we marry is one of the choices we make...
It goes further in that I deal with a lot of single parent households and sometimes the bitterness between exes is very disruptive... especially when children are involved... more than once I've had to sit a person down to tell them their personal life is disruptive to the community and it has to stop... after all, that person choose the other person to be the parent of their child...
Maybe harsh... but it is the reality.
You can marry someone, and find out they weren't the person you thought they were. Spouses lie, cheat, and change sometimes. The divorce rates wouldn't be so high if everyone "really" knew everything about their perspective spouse.
You made the choice to combine your financial assets with another person who was then irresponsible with them. You could have turned off your credit cards, frozen your bank accounts, taken her name off things, etc but you obviously didn't. Debt from divorce is not a surprise, unexpected, uncontrollable financial issue.
Bottom line is that bad choices on your part do not constitute responsibility on MY part to rent you a place to live.
Spouses can file for credit cards without you knowing it (as long as they have your personal info). Of course you should check your credit report regularly, but I know people who can run up a lot of debt in a year. You could be screwed before you know it. Lots of married couples combine assets. When you are in love you don't always think logically, or assume your partner is going to ********* over.
You're only a victim if you let yourself be one. I've been through a divorce and also a breakup from a long-term live-in relationship of 10+ years, so I know what I'm talking about. I didn't come out ahead of the ball, but I sure as hell didn't allow myself to take on any of the debt accrued solely by my exes, either. Plus, I always pay my debts, unlike so many deadbeats these days.
You were a sap, you weren't careful with your finances, and you let yourself get taken. Now you have to pay the price for your mistakes and stop blaming everyone and everything else for your choices.
Pull up your big boy pants and get on with things, and don't whine at landlords that treat you like a bad bet because you ARE a bad bet.
I am not against your decision not to rent to people with bankruptcies. That is your choice, and is obviously what works best for you, but you have come on here belittling people, and being just plain rude. You seem like a real jerk, and you are assuming a lot about people.
Most landlords collect an application fee and pocket the money anyway. Just read the posts here. If these supposed LL's did their homework they wouldn't have nearly as much to post? As one poster mentioned, rentals are on the downturn. Good tenants are harder and harder to get so real LL's don't investigate or simply overlook things.
bascat348,
I am sorry to read about your father. The same thing can happened to anyone of us in a heartbeat.
BTW, if your thinking about renting I suggest investigating your prospective landlord. After all you wouldn't give a key to a stranger so why allow a person you don't know the same privilege. You never know if you are renting from a Norman Bates or not. Lots of perverted LL's out there just waiting to "sneak and peak" on you, your wife, or your children. Make sure you do a sexual predator search online or at your local police station. You can also check the tax records of any property within a county to see who owns it, taxes, how the taxes are paid, and that's all for free.
When you meet a person who describes him or herself as a landlord keep one hand on your wallet and the other over....well you can figure that one out.
Remember always, never trust a landlord.
LL do all kinds of things once you are under lease. We rented a place once, and although the house was old it had been remodeled. After living there a month our plumbing started backing up. They said it was because we poured to much grease down the drain (which we don't pour any), and that we would be responsible for the repairs. Another plumber came out, and found out the old clay sewer line was collapsing, and it wasn't our fault at all. Even though we paid full rent, we went for two weeks without a toilet (had to drive down the street, or use the neighbors). As soon as our lease was up, we were gone. They also never did any of the stuff they promised to do. I have also worked in leasing, and have seen landlords refuse to make all kinds of repairs. I have also seen landlords charge bogus charges to tenants as well.
I have to file a personal bankruptcy with a high credit score because stony brook university is withholding my transcripts. all because I bubbled in the incorrect bubble on a fasfa form and they cut all of my financial aid mid semester and then expected me to pay 5,000 grand more than what I was due to pay in two months before they sent it to the state attorney generals office where it is accruing 10% interest a year. Even if I pay it off in increments which is what I immediately began doing the interest and the large sum wouldve kept me in debt to stony brook for nearly 10 years. Which means for 10 years all of the hard work I put in and credits I received would be with held keeping me from continuing my college degree and therefore keeping me at a lesser paying job. It simply made more sense to begin again. Now I don't see the sense in arguing but I do feel as though its severely pretentious to assume that everyone who has been brought to this is a financial delinquent. Prior to this my bills including student loans toward q degree I cant obtain have NEVER been delinquent. Just food for.thought. i understand the need to protect your own hide and it is a smart decision however be careful with the way you judge people. You never know when the system could turn unecpectedly on you and the world will shun and look at you like you are a delinquent and your entire life will be stuck. I'm 27 have lived on my pwn since i was 16 in NY working my tail off and making my way.
Sorry for the typos, on my "smart" phone. Anyhow best of luck to you all. Even if life has handed you a rough go, have faith and you will find your way. Look forward, not backwards and regardless of what mistakes you have made or those that have been done to you. Someone will be trusting enough to rent to you and just be sure you make a good reference there and reward their acceptance by being and amazing tenant. As far as complexes go, they may not be your easiest option but there are plenty of people renting all over who dont require a 50pt credit wnf background assessment and people who do understand that life and sh*t happens. Good luck!
And ignore people who belittle and think they are better than you. You know what is the right path for your life and what you need to do and you also know what you have been through. No one else can tell you that you are a hood or bad or smart or dumb or responsible or irresponsible person without knowing your story. I grew up in an impoverished home, abused neglected and kidnapped and forced to run away at a young age. I have lived out of my car in the winter in the freezing cold, sneaking into schools to shower so I could go interview and get a job and get myself into a home and get myself into a school. Which btw I had to make enough as what my wonderful parents claimed to make because they don't let you file as an independent student until your 24. So I worked, supported myself, made enough income to pay for college, got high enough grades despite all that to get a few scholarships and had it all taken away from me when i filled in the wrong answer on a piece of paper and now still working my ass ofd and paying my bills I am filing a bqnkruptcy to get my life back because I want to further my education and rise about the disorder I was brought into this world under and if thats acting like a delinquebt or a victim in anyone's eyes, let me bend over and have them get a good hard look at my ass before it moseys on down the road...you should only be ashamed if you let some Joe schmoe tell you over the internet that he is a better and more responsible person than you lol its ridiculous.
[quote=I_Feel_Fat_2;11025529]I am in a bad situation now and considering a chapter 7. I want to know if that makes it harder to rent in the near future or will it help since I'll be able to start building my score up again? Thanks.[/QUOTE
[url=http://homeguides.sfgate.com/rent-apartment-after-filing-bankruptcy-8360.html]How to Rent an Apartment After Filing Bankruptcy | Home Guides | SF Gate[/url]
I hope life stays perfect for all of the perfect "Holier than Thou" landlords who can't seem to understand that life happens. You can be sued for a bad business deal where your only crime was trusting a bad business partner or spouse. This led to my Chapter 13 where I pay my creditors more than most people pay in a mortgage every month due to one law suit and my income. I, like many other doctors, lawyers and other professional (Smart) people have made mistakes and have had to pay the consciences. It's just life and the more money you make, the more risks you may take and the more room for big (and not little) mistakes. Doesn't mean I don't value money, my investments or teach my kids good life skills related to finances. That's just life. Good luck to all of the perfect people who posted who feel powerful because they can deny a person/family an apartment... Be careful because you may just make a mistake one day :0)
The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. If I receive an application from someone who has not behaved well in the past, I do not have a crystal ball to see what they will do in the future, so, yes, the only thing I have to judge them on is their past behavior.
Nobody gets to wake up every morning with a clean slate. Your past behavior is on record and it will follow you through life. Nobody "deserves" a second chance. Maybe you will be lucky and someone will give you a second chance, but that second chance is not owed to you, nor do you have a right to it.
As for bankruptcies, I go by what is on the credit report. I just rented to someone who just discharged a bankruptcy and there is not one late payment nor even one judgement on her credit report. She lost a high paying job and the real estate market crashed in her formally high priced area. She dealt with it correctly and immediately.
Most of the tenants who apply and have bankruptcies have a long history of not paying anyone. Many of them already have late payments and collections after the bankruptcy. So, no, I am not going to cross my fingers and hope they will pay me.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
good luck
