Curious about moving to knoxville (Memphis: apartment, rental, eviction)

[donaldgage]

I finally decided I've had enough of this specific city in Florida, but I need some guidance.
I'm moving to the Knoxville area next May (at the latest) to go to school and complete a state teaching license. It's just too expensive where I am now.
We'll be moving a family of five (I have 3 children) & may be looking for rental properties before I've actually obtained employment in a school. I am determined, however, to finish this program, even if I work in a menial job meanwhile.
Here's my question: as someone with damaged credit, what is the likelihood of me finding a decent place to rent if I am in between jobs?
Are there landlords/apartment management companies who rent to families like mine, or do all need so many years at specific job, etc.?
Also, if I find a place while I finish the license, will I be virtually forced to put my kids in a lousy school district? I know that where I live now, that last question would be rhetorical; is it at least possible in Tenn. to accomplish what I have mentioned while not worrying about my kids being in dangerous schools?
I'll plead ignorance here, as I'm in kind of a unique situation, but I am determined to get out of here. So, here is an APB, of sorts, to all those wiser in such matters: realtors, employers, etc. HELP!!!
Any information would be awesome!
Thanks

[JMT]

Originally Posted by donaldgage

I finally decided I've had enough of this specific city in Florida, but I need some guidance.
I'm moving to the Knoxville area next May (at the latest) to go to school and complete a state teaching license. It's just too expensive where I am now.
We'll be moving a family of five (I have 3 children) & may be looking for rental properties before I've actually obtained employment in a school. I am determined, however, to finish this program, even if I work in a menial job meanwhile.
Here's my question: as someone with damaged credit, what is the likelihood of me finding a decent place to rent if I am in between jobs?
Are there landlords/apartment management companies who rent to families like mine, or do all need so many years at specific job, etc.?
Also, if I find a place while I finish the license, will I be virtually forced to put my kids in a lousy school district? I know that where I live now, that last question would be rhetorical; is it at least possible in Tenn. to accomplish what I have mentioned while not worrying about my kids being in dangerous schools?
I'll plead ignorance here, as I'm in kind of a unique situation, but I am determined to get out of here. So, here is an APB, of sorts, to all those wiser in such matters: realtors, employers, etc. HELP!!!
Any information would be awesome!
Thanks

Knoxville does not have an open school district, so if you live in a lower-income neighborhood your kids will have to go to that neighborhood's schools. That's not necessarily a bad thing since the entire county is one big school district and every school follows the same curriculum, and even the "worst" neighborhoods in Knoxville can't compare to inner-city neighborhoods in places like Memphis, Atlanta, or much of Florida (where I'm originally from).

I personally don't know how easily you can rent a home when you have bad credit, but I would start by checking with Bill Pittman at Pittman Properties (Google his name to find his web site). Even if he can't help you, I'm sure he can provide you names of others who could.

Good luck!

[Eat]

I know someone who was evicted from a new apartment only a few weeks after moving in because the landlord checked references post renting, and decided after the fact he didn't want the tenant. It took hiring an attorney for this person to delay the eviction long enough to secure a new place to live and arrange the move.

In other words, be careful.