how do you find and rent an apartment in SJ ? (San Jose: extended stay, apartment complex)
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Someone advised you to find something temporary until you get a sense of the communities / neighborhoods and i think that's very wise.
And i strongly advice that you don't rent anything without seeing it first and without a signed rental agreement! and certainly give no money to anyone before that!
Craigslist has the most listings (far more than any other source) and is the most common resource for renters and the place where most landlords post their listings.
Where is this credit history stored? who accesses it and how? Does my UK banking and taxing contributing anything to it? UK is not a third world country...
"pay for a credit check": who am i paying to, the landlord, or i have to contact some agency to do it for me?
i might go for a $1500 furnished apartment for 6 months. the problem with the unfurnished ones is that after arriving i will have to sort so many things out, hunting for furniture would be too much. (i will schedule job interviews, apartment checks, used car dealers, social sec number, DMV driving test to get local licence, DMV car registration, USCIS address reg...)
i have found some property management companies who run big apartment buildings and have lots of flats available. one has furnished option. unfurnished ones seem to be around $1.1-1.3k in zillow, but these companies advertise at $1.5k-2k. (archstone apartments, Windsor Communities, Miller & Hinkle, Western Management LLC...).
craigslist, OK. whats wrong with zillow?
Your U.K. credit history won't do much here, they don't transfer over. You start over once you are in the U.S. From a rental point of view, it's not a big deal, they are more worried about BAD credit then no credit history.
If they ask for a credit history, you can either provide one (smaller landlords are usually fine with this), or they will run it for you (with you paying the cost). There are various places (online) you (or landlords) can request a credit report for a fee.
I am a bit confused by you mentioning job interviews? How are you getting a visa if you don't already have a job offer and the employer starting the sponsorship for your visa?
The first thing you need to do is get your SSN. You need this for pretty much everything else, like DMV, renting apartments. I am assuming you have the cash to buy a used car...because with no credit history, it's difficult to get a credit card, much less a car loan.
The property management companies (i.e Avalon, Archstone) you mentioned own and run large apartment complexes in the area. They set aside some furnished apartments for corporate rentals. They are the landlord (as someone mentioned, you tend to deal directly with landlords here). There are corporate apartment companies (i.e. Oakwood) that rent out furnished apartments (often in those higher end big apartment complex) with full services like cleaning, including utilities etc.
I think your price range is a bit low to get a furnished corporate apartment.
Zillow is use primary for BUYING a home, even then their prices are often inaccurate and out of date. Craigslist has more accurate prices. Padmapper is just a map that aggregates listings from Craigslist, Rent.com, etc.. on to a map. If you are interesting in one of the big apartment complexes, just emailed them to get the most accurate prices.
Well, H1B (employer sponsored) is not the only way of getting a visa. (For most people it is) I am in another category (please dont ask!), first stages passed (accepted) but some final interview at the embassy is needed before finally approved. This is due very soon. After that quit my job here, and wrap up lots of things here before moving. Before you think i am a victim of some scam (I am avare of the different types of those), I am not, I am just in another visa category.
I have contacted one possible employer, they say i should contact them 1-2 months before my arrival, so then we can talk oubout hiring. I get job offers in the UK too often (people know I live here in the UK), finding a job in the US with my background should not be a problem. I even have a few contacts at few of those companies where I might want to go to.
Ok thanks, i think its clear for now.
My plan is to find/select 2-3 apartments and contact for viewing 2 weeks before arrival. So I have plenty of time, my arrival would be 3-4 months from now. I just want to have a good understanding on these things before i have to start the apartment hunting process. It will be stressful enough when i am prepared, it would be very bad if i didnt do my homework (e.g. talking on this forum) plenty of time in advance. I have moved between countriues 2 times, the first one was horrible, i didnt know what will happen next minute or day or month, the second one was easier since i did a lot of research. I hope this third one will go a lot more smoothly. To make sure, I have to ask questions that seem weird to those who always lived in the area i am moving to.
I have looked up the process of getting CA-driving licence, for getting SSN, buying used cars, renting cars for the first 2-3 weeks, possible employees in my specialization area and lots of other things. Reloction to another country is a complex task, needs preparation and I have some experience now.
I thought i need the residental address first. because they send the SSN card, the driving licence, the greencard and everything else by post to a residental address (after registering to all of these separately). So i would not be able to get any of these without renting an apartment FIRST. I will have to sort that out within a few days of arrival, with a rental car and a GPS i should be able to go to view apartments, and to get to the DMV and SSN offices.
yes, I will buy the car with cash, Im thinking on a 5-6 years old mid-size sedan at around $8000 + tax. Also arranging a visa card within a month from here, i dont need credit I have some savings. I have checked, its possible with one of the international banks, called "expat" account, I already have arranged the appointment. Do they accept visa-card payment, or paper-cash or cheque? I bought mny used car here with a visa card.
The "Archstone_Willow_Glen" seems to have one bed aprtments at $1500. That would be good, if furnished. If its more expensive I might go for an unfurnished one, $300-500 cheaper per month, means that I could buy some basic furniture from the difference in the first 2-3 months. Its just the hassle of sorting out the furniture-shopping too.
I assumed a price range based on my UK prices: I pay $950 + TAX + bills (total $1220) per month here in a nice 1bed city-center furnished apartment. I didnt want to spend a lot more, but maybe I will have to.
The best would be to arrange apartment viewings 1-2 weeks before arrival. I will try that with an apartment complex, it should be the simplest smoothest process.
The reason I asked about your VISA status, you need proof of status to get your SSN. If you come on a employer sponsored VISA, the card shows the restriction. If you got in through the green card lottery (which sounds like what you are doing), you won't have that restriction shown on the card. You are issued the number immediately when you apply, the physical card will be mailed to you. You can find the forms online. Go first thing in the morning when the office opens to avoid long lines & waiting.
You will need a SSN to get your driver's license, bank accounts, setting up utilities. You will need to show the card when you start your job.
Getting a credit history established is important, not because you need to use credit, but because they check it for a lot of things...not just housing, but also to set up utilities etc.
When I relocated back in 2000 (from Canada), my company had a relocation personal banker deal with Citibank for their employees. That made it easy to get a credit card to start establishing a credit history. My brother didn't have such a package, and it was a pain for him. I ended up adding him to one of my credit card to help him start establishing a credit history. That't not really a US unique thing ... a (Canadian) friend of mine had the same problem with banking & credit history when she relocated to Scotland. I think her boss had to be a guarantor for her when she rented a place.
Taxes are handle differently here. There are no council tax. You pay state & federal taxes once a year in the spring. They will auto deduct it on each of your pay cheque.
You can buy a car with credit card, cheque, cash.
At $1500, the apartment at Archstone Willow Glen will be probably be unfurnished.
You budget should be fine for find an unfurnished apartment in the area (if you are not too picky about the neighborhood and amentities), but that is really low for a furnished apartment of your own (i.e. not a room mate situation).
Check the craigslist section for sublets & temporary housing. That would most likely be cheaper then furnished corporate apartment places. It will give you a bit of time to get to know the area and find something.
The bank i wisited heree in the UK told me that i can get a local account attached to my expat account before moving there. They might give me the option (like UK banks) to choose a debit or a credit card. I never needed to take credit or a loan or borrow money since i have graduated several years ago. Thats why i always used a debit card. This thime will I need a credit card for the credit history? Do I actually have to borrow money to buy things (rather than pay from my savings)?
How long time after moving there could I buy a house with a mortgage? (i could probably do 15-20% downpayment, I was checking housing prices for a few weeks on the internet). It would be nice after a year, if possible.
Buy a house?? Oh my! They are very expensive in this area.
You can easily furnish an apartment from garage sales and Craigslist offerings. These resources are great for dining tables/chairs, kitchen ware. Were I you I would buy a futon frame used and the mattress new (sanitation reasons). The other resource for reasonably priced furniture is IKEA. Costco sells a nice mattress 'topper' that many praise.
Get an international driver's licence before you leave. You should be able to use that for a while to rent a car when you need one. The California Driver's manual should be available on line.
The bank i wisited heree in the UK told me that i can get a local account attached to my expat account before moving there. They might give me the option (like UK banks) to choose a debit or a credit card. I never needed to take credit or a loan or borrow money since i have graduated several years ago. Thats why i always used a debit card. This thime will I need a credit card for the credit history? Do I actually have to borrow money to buy things (rather than pay from my savings)?
How long time after moving there could I buy a house with a mortgage? (i could probably do 15-20% downpayment, I was checking housing prices for a few weeks on the internet). It would be nice after a year, if possible.
I am not an expert on credit, you need to ask the folks over at the personal finance forum.
As a new comer to the country you will have no history, and therefore a low score. The fact you have an ex-pat account doesn't matter. An ex-pat account will just get your credit history, credit card & banking started easier. Credit bureaus don't share information between countries.
You don't have to borrow money to build your credit history. Example: I have credit cards, but I pay them off in full every month. I have zero credit card debit, never pay interests...hell all my credit cards are no-fees..so I use it like a debit card.
You will need a high credit score to get good rates on loans. That is why it's important you start building a good credit history as soon as possible. It's not hard to get good credit history, but it does take a bit of time to build up..so if you intend to get a loan, you need to get it started.
I don't think a year will be sufficient to build up a good enough credit history. Friends of mine relocated to the U.S. from Canada, they bought a house within one or two years, but their financing is through a bank up in Canada, not through a U.S. bank, as they didn't have sufficient credit history or good enough score in the U.S.
Until you have a job offer, I think even renting is going to be a problem for you (that is why I suggested you stay at corporate housing/hotel apartment/sublet). Most places will require you have proof of income that is sufficient to pay the rent (in the form of employment verification or job offer). This isn't as important in a soft rental market or if you have a good credit history..but you will have no history when you relocate. You can show them you have X amount in savings...but I suspect the bigger apartment companies will want more proof. Smaller landlords might be okay with bank statements.
Get an international driver's licence before you leave. You should be able to use that for a while to rent a car when you need one. The California Driver's manual should be available on line.
If he has a U.K. license, he doesn't need an international license to rent a car, the U.K. one is just fine.
He needs to check the California DMV about the requirement with getting a California license when relocating. I vaguely recall you had to get your California license within an X amount of time.
Here in the UK, we have to go to the "letting agent"s to find an apartment, and we have to get the viewing and contract sorted with them, not with the landlord. They also charge around $250 contract fee that is payable every year. The contracts normally fix term 12 months, they mean if I move out after 6 months I must still pay the remaining 6 monts as well. Is it different in the US/SJ ?
In the US you either deal directly with the landlord or with the management office for a large apartment complex. You are obligated to fulfill your lease, but usually what people do if they need to move out early is find someone else to move in and this would cancel your obligation.
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How much time does it take from finding to viewing, and from viewing to moving in?
In Silicon Valley this can be anywhere from two days to a couple weeks, depending on the availability of the particular unit you want.
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I have googled apartment renting, letting, condo... but all I found was housing search engines like zillow. Are there letting agents in the bay area?
Most people here find apartments either through craigslist, or by driving around and visiting the management offices of the apartments complexes. These offices are usually open every day or at least Monday - Friday.
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I am a design engineer (not a programmer geek), looking for a 1+ br condo or house. What price range should I expect in a non-ugly and safe area?
$1500.
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Are houses more expensive than apartments for renting?
Definitely.
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Is it unusual to rent with furniture (bed, sofa...) in the apartment?
A bit unusual. you can find furnished apartments, they will be more expensive than the $1500
I have a UK licencce, and it is valid to drive around in the USA. My friend was in Florida on a vacation and driven a hired car with his licence.
The rules say I have to get or apply for the local licence within 10 days. The problem with this is that:
1. i must already have an SSN which gets delivered within 30 days by mail to my US address (i have to get the apartment even before that)
2. the 3 step DMV process: apply for registering, theory test, practical driving test.
These all together must take up a lot of time, impossible to sort it out in 10 days. Some british people (I am hungarian but been living in the UK for years), said on other forums they were driving with their UK licence for months, one weas even stopped by the police once but they accepted his lic.
About buying: some search engines showed me results of 3/4bed houses that looked nice-enough (there were lots of bad ones as well, but 20% quiet good) at $300k, mostly in the Alum Rock and east foothills, also south san jose areas. The first two I heard is strongly hispanic (statstics show maybe 30% ??). I could never afford a west-silicon-walley $700k home. 300 on a 15y mortgage seems easily doable. ($350 house with the downpayment). Any area should be fine at 30 minutes commute to north SJ. Anyway, the place where I would buy in the future...I want to spend a year in the bay area to get to know the different parts (drive around a lot, ask people) so I wouldnt end up living 15 years in an area where i dont want to be. Just the worry is that if the housing prices rise up by 30-100% again in 2- years (while building the credit score), then I am not buying anything ever in the bay area. For sure I am not going to rent a small hole in a big building for the rest of my life, but move elsewhere and give up the career that I could only have in the silicon walley. A plain programmer geek could find a suitable challenging job in every state or every country, but with my skills the locations are limited. For example here in the UK the employers are only able to make use of my skills just occasionally, most of the time my skills are wasted on stuff that lots of other engineers could do.
I was checking those corporate housings. i found a few, normally $1550 furnished.
I think these are the ones you talked about? : Oakwood San Jose Apartments in San Jose, CA | Apartments.com
1 bed, not a studio, or maybe change to 1bed after 2 months in a studio in the same building if possible... I already pay $1250 here in the UK every month, so a $1600 should not be a big deal.
The jobs: headhunters keep contacting me every 1-2 weeks by email/linkedin/cellphone/workphone about UK jobs, it shouldnt be difficoult to find one over there. The problem is they normally require the applicant to be physically present at the first moment he makes the contact. Except if I had some relatives or something at those companies, like some indian programmers do. This would stretch the time of being there and not having a job contract/offer, but still needing a permanent mailing address and some housing. I will contact a few of them 1-2 months before going anyway. Im not sure how many job interviews should I pre-arrange, maybe just one.
I will go for it anyway, relocate and rent something. Otherwise I would just waste my skills away here in Europe.
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