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Fill out an application

This is step one. This will be needed by both apartment complexes and landlords.

Simply click the link to download the application. 

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Obtain a copy your credit report

With credit being the hub of most transactions these days, it's no surprise that its the first thing Florida landlords and owners ask about prospective tenants. So we will discuss this first. Typically your scores have to be at least a 640 to rent. If it's not, check our credit improvement section. There are exceptions to everything. You could find a sympathetic owner on Craigslist, or rent from family until you hit 640. Or you could just pay half the year upfront. That sometimes works. Either way, many will require you provide them a copy of at least one recent credit report. You can get a FREE copy once a year here .

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Paystubs - 3 months

Income verification is a standard part of the rental application process, and landlords may ask for several months' worth of pay stubs to get a clear picture of your income. This information helps landlords make an informed decision on whether to approve your rental application.

In some cases, landlords may accept other forms of income verification, such as tax returns or bank statements, but pay stubs are generally preferred because they provide a clear and up-to-date picture of your income.

If you are self-employed or do not have a traditional job, you may need to provide additional documentation to verify your income, such as invoices or bank statements showing regular deposits.

Ultimately, providing pay stubs and other income verification documentation is an important step in the rental application process and can help you secure the rental home or apartment you want.

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Bank Statements

Generally, you’ll need bank statements and pay stubs. Though they essentially do the same thing they show you have money. Bank statements also show regular paycheck deposits from your job. Print 3 months worth from your online account just to be safe. If you don’t have a computer at home, go to a public library to access your bank account and print these out.  Be sure to log out before you leave the library!

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Driver’s License (Or Passport)

Make a copy of and bring your driver’s license with you when you tour homes or when you sit down to fill out an application. You will need to provide it as part of the application I turn in. The landlord will make a copy for his or her records. If you don’t have a license, a state ID or passport works too.

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A Recommendation

A recommendation tells the manager that you were a good tenant in rentals before.  A letter from the last landlord will help a great deal if you can get it. Most landlords will accept basic information about your last apartments, such as the property manager’s contact information, so that they can call.  But a few managers might ask you to provide letters of recommendation so they don’t have to do the work.

 

It’s a good idea to get one of these letters before moving from your current rental.  A referral letter that you were confident enough to ask for – and received – says a lot to a manager. 

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Vehicle Registration and Proof of Insurance

Why would a landlord need your vehicle info? If an apartment comes with a parking space, the landlord needs to know which cars belong on the property full time.  If a car appears to be abandoned, the manager needs to know which renter owns it. Some buildings / homes have a limited number of parking spaces per unit, so landlords want to make sure only the approved vehicles are in the lot or home.

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Social Security Number

Your parents may have warned you not to give out this precious eight-digit identification code, but you do have to provide it to a potential landlord. Property managers use this number to perform a credit check, to see whether or not you’re a good tenant. You shouldn’t have to provide a copy of your social security card, so memorize your number instead.

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Rental History

You will need to provide your rental history. This is a list of all the rentals you’ve lived in during your life as a renter, including their addresses, the phone number of the property manager, how long you were there, how much you paid, and why you left. This is not always possible as sometimes we forget. But you will need to remember where you lived over the last 4 or 5 years.

 

If you’ve rented in several locations, it might be a good idea to go ahead and create a file of this information for yourself, so that you can provide it with you when you apply. You can always update it with each move. That way, you can make your application quickly by copying the information, or simply providing a copy of the document with your application, instead of filling out that section.

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References

Most applications have a section for references. You should have a mental list of both professional and personal references, in case the landlord wants both. Just make sure to ask the people you plan to use as references for their permission, since they’ll be receiving a call.

 

Choose established and responsible adults as your references. These references can come from businesses where you’ve worked, non-profits where you’ve volunteered, even your church. Your 20-year-old college dorm mate isn’t as reliable in the eyes of a landlord as your 40-year-old boss.

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Job History

A job history is just like a rental history, but with information about where you worked. Include your current job and a few previous ones. Keep this information on hand so you can reference it when you apply for homes.

 

Many landlords want to see your employment history to determine that you can hold a job. If you leave every three months, your income isn’t stable, and thus isn’t reliable. If, however, you’ve had a job for five or more years, the 12 months you’ll be at this apartment will likely be a financially stable time. If you are recently retired in the last 12 months, you will still need to provide job history information.

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Police Background Check

You may need to provide a police background check. This will require you go to your local police department and request one be done on you. They may charge you for it. Why? Many owners renting their homes out don't have the resources, and/or want a snapshot of any criminal history up front. Apartment complexes and some property managers have the ability run their own background checks. Also...Wouldn't you wanna know if you have any dirt on you BEFORE going through this. Trust me, you wanna know before a landlord does.

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Money

Finally, bring your checkbook when applying for apartments or out with us house hunting. You may have to pay an application fee (i.e., $100 ) and / or a fee to a condo or homeowners association. ( i.e., $500 ) These are not our rules. Once you get out there and start looking you will see for yourself. We simply would rather have you prepared for most situations. 

 

A good example of move-in costs are as follows:

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For a $1500 a month rental in a subdivision ( HOA ) or ( Condo Association )

 

The first month’s rent of $1,500 and last month's rent of $1,500, plus the $150 application fee with the association will be due.  The association may require a $500 security deposit, which must be paid by the tenant.  You will also be required to pay the landlord’s security deposit of $1,500. So you should have around $5,150 and the documents discussed above to rent a place that costs $1,500 per month. 

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Its about here that many are discouraged. But I can assure you, if you get into this without going through this checklist, you will be far more than just discouraged. 

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We are happy to email you available homes at no cost to you. However, will require most, if not all documents above and the application above completely filled out, then emailed to info@americanparadiseproperties.com prior to touring homes. We will then contact you to discuss your options.  In this way, we best prepare you to take a home off the market immediately should we find something you like. You will be prepared to WIN before we see the first house.

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Do you have a criminal record?

Many websites that tout renting seem to leave this very important part off. Perhaps because it's such a touchy subject. In our opinion, if you have a criminal record it's getting increasingly harder to rent a home. But not impossible. In short, prepare to disclose everything and have ALL supporting documents.

For more details click HERE.

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Do you have a housing choice program voucher (Sec 8),

or are homeless?

While our participation is somewhat limited using these methods, we want you to succeed. There are multiple resources that can assist you. 

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Martin County

St Lucie County

Palm Beach County

Broward County

Miami Dade County

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