Relocating/Renting options/low credit scores (Atlanta, Roswell: apartment complex, foreclosed, leasing agent)

[illinoisgirl76]

My husband, myself, and son are relocating to the Alpharetta/Roswell area soon. I am worried about being able to find a rental home given that we don't have the strongest credit scores. We are two years out from a bankruptcy. I currently am not working/staying home with my son. My credit is in the mid-600's but I am not bringing in a salary. My husband's credit score is in the 580's.

We are currently renting a home in Illinois, but we secured this lease before the BK hit our credit. I am worried about leaving here, and having to rent an apartment because we won't be able to get a house. We will need to rent for at least another year or two, before being able to secure an FHA loan.

Has anyone rented with low credit scores? Will it be hard to obtain? Any info. would be helpful.

Thanks!

[George Chong]

Do you have a good rental history?

Perhaps you could offer the landlord a higher security deposit?

[illinoisgirl76]

The past two years, we have never had a late rent payment. I would be able to use our current landlord as a reference, as well as get a letter of recommendation from them. We would also be able to give a higher security deposit too if that would help.

[Ron.]

You can rent anywhere you'd like too.........if you can pay for a entire year's lease upfront.

Can you do that?

[peachstatehomegal]

It seems that there is no 'norm' or standard in the rental market these days anymore.

So much depends on the owner or the leasing company - some look more at job stability and income, some are adamant that the credit score numbers 'be right', some depend more heavily on rental history.

I will say you might want to prepare a 'letter' or dissertation of any 'events' in the past - i.e. BK to attach with the application - sometimes the explanations help.

[Mgyeldell]

The Atlanta rental market for apartments is funny. Some apartments check credit, and some only check rental history and work. It really depends on the company who manages the apartment. Alpharetta and Roswell has some decent apartments but their ran by horrible companies that may only check the rental history and work stability. The best bet is to call a complex that you are looking for and ask them upfront what they ask on the credit check 9 times out of 10 the leasing agent will be upfront with you and tell you what they are looking for when they do pull your information.

My mom once had a nice apartment complex in Dunwoody tell her once that they were pulling her credit for a credit check and when she checked her credit a few weeks later she found out they never actually pulled her credit and made her pay a application fee for pretty much nothing.

[ATLTJL]

I haven't rented a new place in a while, but it would seem to me that bad credit probably won't keep you out of an apartment. Otherwise, where would all the people who have been foreclosed on go?

I think the most important thing is to be able to show a steady paycheck. Landlords in Georgia don't really have much to fear because eviction here is super easy. If you miss a month's rent, they can have you and all of your stuff out on the street by the first of the next month. So they really don't have too terribly much to lose in taking a risk on you.

If you have any issue with a regular apartment, you can always rent a condo or house from someone. Most private landlords aren't going to go through the trouble or expense of a credit report. Even if they do, they have more leeway to rent to you anyway if they get a good gut feeling about you. I don't think you'll have much of a problem finding a place to live.

[atltechdude]

Yeah I think you should have options available.

When I rented at my current place, the policy was that if you had good credit you didn't need a security deposit, while if it wasn't so good you had to put down a deposit but you weren't automatically excluded. They also checked rental history so because that's good for you that should help you.