Application FAQs

Application FAQs

Get Prequalified for a Showing!

Before you begin an Application:

 

Thank you for your interest in our properties. All of our properties are owned by individual owners, each of whom have their own minimum criteria for tenants at their properties. We prequalify all interested parties prior to showing a property. If after viewing a property you would like to apply to rent it, please submit an application online. Note that our applications are run one at a time, starting with the first completed application received and just because you are able to view the property does not guarantee that you will be able to rent it. If there is already an application pending for that property, you will receive a full refund of your application fee.

 

We strongly urge all interested applicants to see the property prior to submitting their application, but is not required. You may submit your showing request online or by calling our office. If you do not view the property prior to signing the lease, you will be required to sign a waiver agreeing to lease the property sight unseen which is not recommended.

 

What are your rental requirements?

 

  • Gross household monthly income must be at least three times the rental amount.
  • Applicants must include at least 3 years’ income history
  • Applicants must include at least 3 years’ rental history or home ownership
  • Applicants cannot have evictions or open bankruptcies.
  • Each property is individually owned and has its own credit requirements to which we must adhere. Check the ad for the property on our web site or contact our office for more details on the property in which you are interested in applying.
  • Each person 18 years or older must complete an application and submit the application fee.

 

What are your credit requirements?

 

While poor credit may not be grounds for an automatic denial, it is likely that would cause the owner to ask for a higher security deposit. When reviewing your credit, many factors will be considered, such as status of current accounts, collections, delinquencies, any money owed or paid late to property management companies or landlords.

 

Every tenant, like every property, is different. There may be reasons someone has a low FICO score while being an excellent prospective tenant. While each property ad reflects the owner’s minimum required FICO score, all other criteria are taken into consideration before a decision is rendered.

 

Do you allow cosigners?

 

Cosigners, or guarantors, are sometimes permitted; it depends on the particular property and the owner’s minimum requirements.

 

What are cosigner requirements?

 

  • Cosigners must complete an application and submit the application fee
  • Must currently own property in California
  • Gross monthly income must be at least three times the rental amount.
  • Must have a credit score of 650 or higher with a good credit history.

 

Can I submit my own credit report?

 

No. We must run a new credit report on every applicant due to contractual and security reasons. However, we urge you to check your own FICO score on sites such as www.creditkarma.com to make sure you meet the minimum requirements for the property in which you are interested BEFORE you apply.

 

NOTE: The results you receive when you check your own credit may not match the results from the company we use to check credit.

 

What about someone coming to work in the United States from another country?

 

We can rent properties in such situations. Applicants must provide work papers, a passport, a contact from their originating country and may be asked to pay a higher security deposit.

 

How can I apply if I live out of state or out of the country?

 

There are several ways. Before you do, however, make sure you qualify to rent the property of your choice. Compare your situation to our rental criteria. Applications and fees may be submitted online.

 

Will you rent to us even if we have a bankruptcy?

 

We are often able to work with people who have closed or discharged bankruptcies, depending on the date filed, status of filing, cause of the bankruptcy and credit history since the bankruptcy. If someone with a discharged bankruptcy is approved, they are required to pay the maximum security deposit allowed by law which is twice the amount of the rent.

 

Why was I asked to pay a higher security deposit than what was listed in the ad?

 

The security deposit quoted in the ad is always the minimum deposit accepted. Depending on all criteria of each individual applicant, approval may be possible with a higher security deposit up to the maximum allowed by law.

 

The security deposit is a tenant’s way of offering a kind of guarantee to the owner of the property that they intend to take care of the property and pay rent on time. When there are situations that make a tenant a higher credit risk, a higher security deposit may be allowed instead of simply denying the application. The more the credit risk, the higher the deposit asked. A higher deposit is also required when there are pets involved.

 

Why won’t you rent to someone who has been evicted?

 

An unlawful detainer (eviction) is immediate grounds for denial. The eviction process is lengthy and costly. There are times when a tenant suffers circumstances, or causes them, that cause them to need to leave a property like the sudden inability to pay the rent, causing significant damage to the property, bringing pets to a no-pet property, etc. They always have the option of vacating the property prior to causing the legal process of unlawful detainer. If a tenant remains in the property and forces the owner/landlord/property manager to go through the eviction process once, they are more likely to allow that to happen again.

 

Application Fee Breakdown

 

The application fee of $50.25 per adult and is non-refundable unless the home you desire has already rented prior to us processing your application. If you submit an application online and the property is already rented, we automatically refund your application fee in full.

 

Application Fee Breakdown

 

The actual cost to process an application varies from one application to another. Following is a breakdown of the minimum expense incurred by the management company for each applicant, though the costs are sometimes higher:

 

Appfolio charge for credit report $14
Check past & present rental references $10
Check past & present employment references $10
Validation of applicant’s social security number $5
Nationwide unlawful detainer (eviction) report $10
Administrative review to determine approval/denial $10

 

Do you accept more than one application for the same property at a time?


Our applications are run one at a time, starting with the first completed application received.


How long does it take to process an application?

 

While processing times vary, we are typically able to provide denial or initial approval within hours of receipt of the application. The remaining work of verifying income and rental history is contingent upon how quickly our verification forms are returned. The faster the reply, the faster we can complete the application process and tender a decision.

 

What kind of supporting documentation is required with my application?

 

The more documentation you provide, the faster we will be able to process the application. We have accepted bank statements (not summaries), legal documents, 1099s, tax returns, deeds of trust, mortgage statements, passports, etc. Proof is required for all sources of income. Unverifiable or under-the-table income cannot be considered.

 

What if I do in-home child care?

 

You must be licensed and insured.

 

Why is an applicant only given 24 hours to pay a security deposit?

 

Often there is more than one person interested in a property. If someone is serious about renting a property, they will have the security deposit available for when they are approved. If someone is approved, and they do not sign the lease and pay the security deposit within 24 hours, we may not be able to hold the property for them and would then move on to the next applicant. If more than 24 hours is needed, communicate with the leasing specialist to make arrangements to pay it. Once the lease is signed and the security deposit is paid, the property is yours no matter when the move-in date is.

 

How often do you update your web site?

 

We find it very effective to do action-based updates. Within 24 hours of getting a new property, it is on our web site. Within one hour of renting a property, it is removed from our web site. The action is what causes the update. That way you can be assured that the properties listed on our web site are still available for rent and the rent amounts are accurate.

 

If you only process one application at a time, how do you handle it when multiple applications are received for the same property over night or over the weekend?

 

All applications are time- and date-stamped. We process the first to have been received and refund the application fees for all others.

 

Why was one of your properties on some other web site but not on your web site?

 

Some web sites add to their listings by copying listings from other web sites. The problem with that is that they are not updated nearly as often as we update our own site. A property we rented at 2pm will surely be removed from our web site by 3pm on the same day, but could possibly still be listed on one of those sites for another week or even longer. We have no access or control to these “feeder” websites.

 

How long do you hold applications?

 

We do not hold or transfer applications. If you apply for a property with a pending application, you will be placed on a waiting list. If the property is rented to the first applicant, your application will be cancelled and entire application fee refunded.

 

Do you allow animals?

 

All Service or ESA animals must be listed on the application. An official ESA letter is required to prove to a landlord or anyone else who needs to know that an animal is an emotional support animal. Current Dr/Therapist letter, description & picture of the animal must be submitted with the application.


  • The licensed mental health official must hold a legitimate and active license. In the ESA letter, they must include their license number, the effective date of the license, their jurisdiction, and the type of professional license;
  • The licensed mental health official must be licensed to provide professional services within the scope of the license in the jurisdiction in which the documentation is provided;
  • The licensed mental health official must have established a professional relationship with the client at least 30 days before providing the ESA letter;
  • The licensed mental health official must have conducted a clinical evaluation of the client to assess their need for an emotional support pet


Some owners do allow animals and that would require a higher deposit. Photos of all animals and proof of registration in the county where the property is located is required. The following animals are restricted for all properties:

 

Rottweiler

Doberman Pinscher

Any Canario Breed

Chow

Dalmatian

Wolf Hybrid

Pit Bull or Staffordshire Terrier

Great Dane

Saint Bernard

Akita

German Shepherd

Husky/Malamute

Boerboel

Bandog Mastiff

Karalian Bear Dog

Alaskan Malamute

American Bull dog

Any mixes of the above breeds



What might affect my application approval?

 

Some examples of things that could affect the approval of your application are collections, issues with previous landlords, wage garnishments, vehicle repossessions and debt-to-income ratio. If you are not certain whether you qualify to rent a property, you may call our office and ask for an applicant review prior to seeing the property. A successful applicant review does not guarantee that your application will be approved. If there are concerns with any details of your application, it may be possible for you to pay a higher security deposit and/or provide a co-signer to be a guarantor for the rental of the property.

 

What if I don’t want to see the Property before applying?

 

If you are not interested in viewing the property prior to signing the lease, you will have to sign a waiver agreeing to lease the property sight unseen. We strongly advise against this. It is in everyone’s best interest for you to personally see the property before applying.

 

Can you change your mind after I’ve been approved?

 

Yes. If any part of the application or associated documentation is found to be fraudulent or misrepresented in any way, the lease will be voided and fees will be charged for breaking the lease no matter when the misrepresentation is discovered.

 

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