How do I get an apt near Venice with this financial situation ? (apartment)

[Chubsworth]

I have bad credit from a failed business in 2005. It's getting better, but still not great.

I hid out in my parents winter place in AZ for the past 2 years and made an iPhone app that did ok.

I've got just about 100k saved up from the app and contract work.

Now a place in Venice wants me to direct the design work of their app. The job pays 114k.

I start in august and need to find a place to live.

I can afford a spot but feel like if they run me through a computer credit check i will get denied. Plus, somehow I actually have never lived in a place where I had to get my credit checked. In fact i recently realized my apartment i lived in for 6 years in SF was probably an illegal rental.

How do I approach this with rental companies and landlords? Do I tell them about my situation up front? Only try to rent from an individual landlord? Offer to pay 6 months up front? Try to get a gf right away and sleaze in with her? Live in my car?

[dexter14]

Most places don't really care about your credit so much. They look at your income and want to see you make at least double your rent and they check for prior evictions.

[powermargin]

I have a rental property, and just rented to a family that had poor credit. They explained why that was the case (bad investment), allowed me to independently verify that story, and offered to pay the max deposit and 4 month's rent ahead of time.

Your best bet is to find a rental property owned by an individual landlord. The commercial rental management companies are far less flexible in their requirements.

[thelopez2]

Your credit should be pretty good after 9 years.

[Chubsworth]

Thanks

Credit is fair but could be better.

Also not sure about west side rental scene. Assumed getting approved would be brutal like SF.

Just kind of freaking out cuz i want this to work and have not rented a place in years

[thelopez2]

Originally Posted by Chubsworth

Thanks

Credit is fair but could be better.

Also not sure about west side rental scene. Assumed getting approved would be brutal like SF.

Just kind of freaking out cuz i want this to work and have not rented a place in years

Much easier.

[nightlysparrow]

Pay a year in advance, which is not unheard of in SoCal (aspiring actors do this sometimes, they come with their savings and acting is rarely a steady job).

[kasuga888]

It seems some places just also check that you are getting payed by your employer. They just need check stubs. You can rent a room out for a few months to build up proof of employment and also give you time to scout the area.

[Mr_Geek]

Most landlords will say they are going to check your credit but really don't Especially the small one's who only own one or a few properties. They just want to see a nice income.