Here in Indianapolis at our property management company, I am always getting calls from people who need to move and move fast.
The reasons are usually that the end of their lease snuck up on them, that they have been busy and waited until what seems like the very last second to find a new rental property. What, they ask me, can they do to make the process go quicker?
If you need to speed up the process of finding a property to rent, here are my suggestions:
KEEP YOUR PAY STUBS!
As a property management company, we will need to verify your income to better ensure us of your ability to pay the monthly rent. Typically, we look for the ideal prospect to make 4 times the monthly rent in the total household income per month before taxes. So always keep your pay stubs so you don’t have to do a lot of digging and re-requesting stubs from your employer.
ASK YOUR PAST LANDLORD TO REFERENCE FOR YOU!
Sometimes it is difficult for us to get in contact with some of our prospects’ past landlords. But this is absolutely mandatory. We readily give our past tenants references to new places of residency or apartments. Sometimes it is not simply enough to give us the name and number of your past landlord because they are busy and not expecting the call. So instead, make sure to ask your landlord politely to reference for you, and ask them to either contact our office or tell them to expect a call from us. Giving them a heads up can only make things go more smoothly and quickly for you.
MAKE SURE YOU HAVE MONEY FOR APPLICATION FEES!
We charge a $70 non-refundable application fee per adult that will be living in the property. This is typical of most places that rent so make sure you have the funds to apply if you are considering several properties with several companies.
DO SOME RESEARCH!
People often call me asking for help, telling me the situation they are in and asking for assistance in somewhat of a panic. Often, however, people do not realize we have a lot of properties at once!
For instance, right now we have 100+ properties. So even if you are in a bind, and need to move quickly, remember to breathe and do some research on your own, often just by looking online or driving around ideal locations. Us people who work at property management companies may know what rental properties are ideal for us, but there is no way for us to know which home you would find fitting.
So remember to take control and that it is ultimately up to you to find your new rental property!
