Stuff Nobody Tells you About Getting An Apartment. This’ll cover the basics, such as financial expectation, rental history, what to bring for the application process, etc.

• This information is based on renting in an apartment owned/managed by a commercial property owner in the USA. That being said, much of this can be applied to any first-time renter.
• FIRST PLACE?: Don’t sweat it. What’s likely is you’ll have a higher deposit, or need lots of references, or have a longer lease. You may have to deal with being rejected because they assume with you being young that you’re not mature, or that you tend to party. This is a stereotype that, unfortunately, you can’t really fight. Keep looking, don’t give up. Come prepared with reference letters from employers, non-family friends you’ve known at least a year, volunteer mentors. This will make you look awesome.
• If you can get out on your own without any hitches, you should do it. If you’re in the process of getting booted out by family because they don’t want to support you anymore, or you’ve had enough and are deciding to save up the smallest amount possible to get out fast (see “how much should I save?”), as long as you follow the rest of the steps below, all should be well.
• Sometimes (not always; just sometimes) when you live in an area where the rent is just not in your price range at all and you don’t want to move away from a place you know, it helps to have a friend who’s been apartment renting a while and becoming roommates. You essentially ride in on their rental history and in doing so, you build up some cred yourself. Plus, then you have not only your future manager’s reference, but a personal/roommate reference. Everyone should have a couple roommates in their life, so they can figure out how to co-habitate. Family doesn’t count, and be careful housing with close friends because it might test your friendship. You might be saying “Oh, no! We’re best friends! If I can’t live with my best friend—” but trust me: long-term friendships have ended because of roommate situations. After doing this, then you can live completely on your own. Keep in mind with regard to moving in with someone who is already in an apartment: you need to be put on the lease. Some properties have very strict rules regarding this — it’s called subletting, and it can put you in major trouble down the line.
• If you don’t have a credit card, consider getting one. Buy little things on credit you know you can afford; pay them off within the first two weeks of purchasing them. What this does is increase your credit score, which looks good on your background check. Do this early and often, and you’ll look awesome. Don’t trust credit cards? Check if your bank will let you take out a personal loan. Make it smallish, ranging $350-$500. Go on a mini-vacation, or buy yourself a video game console, or a couple new outfits that are in fashion. Pay it back monthly in double the minimum payment, and pay on time. Having credit is essential if you want an apartment. Also, having this little cache of… cash… will help you with your moving costs.
• PROOF OF INCOME?: You need it. Are you a student? You may get some apprehension and maybe even denials, but in any case, bring in your financial aid award letter. Are you self-employed? Bring in bank statements and 1099’s/tax documentation. Working hourly 9-5? Three recent paystubs should suffice. Is your sugar daddy/momma paying your rent? They need to be put on the lease as a guarantor/co-signer.
• HOW CAN YOU IMPROVE YOUR RENTAL SCORE?: Your rental score results from information found in your credit report, criminal history, references, and application data. Such information may include your history of paying bills and rent, the accounts you have, collections and delinquencies, income and debt.
• Your rental score may change if the underlying information it is based upon changes. To improve your score, concentrate on paying your bills on time, paying down outstanding balances, and removing incorrect information. Your chances of approval may also improve if you apply for an apartment with lower monthly rent, or use a guarantor or co-signer if permitted by Management.
• HOW MUCH SHOULD I PAY FOR RENT?: The going rate of income should be 2.5 what your rent will be. If you’re working right now, this is pretty simple maths. Federal minimum wage in the USA as of 2013 is $7.25/hr. At 40 hours per week, that equals $1160 per month gross. Take that number and plug it into a website like paycheck city (you don’t need the work address; it’ll do it without). After putting in the number, it’ll give you calculations based on the area you’re in. Let’s say, going off our above numbers, your net ends up being $961.95. Dividing that by 2.5, your price range should be about $385 per month. If you want a place that’s more than that, your likelihood of getting the place goes down. Beware the hidden costs! Ask about utilities. If they’re not included in the rent, you need to make sure you can afford them. Try, whenever possible, to get some or all of the utilities included. What about laundry services? Do you have a washer/dryer in your unit, or do you need to pay-per-use? This will affect the overall cost of your water or electric bill.
• If you can’t find an apartment in your area that falls into these numbers, please don’t attempt to live without help. I could wax philosophical about living wages for years, but the bottom line is if you can’t get yourself the wages needed to afford an apartment in your preferred area, then you need to 1) find additional income, 2) consider alternate forms of living such as house-shares, 3) look further outside of your safety net.
• HOW MUCH SHOULD I SAVE BEFORE MOVING?: At the very least, three month’s rent. This gives you the rough coverage of first and last (standard practice) as well as your deposit. If you have pets or would like a pet, make sure to put aside another month’s worth. If we use the above numbers, that means you need to save at least $1856. And that’s not counting the actual cost of packing supplies and moving all your stuff. A few people have reblogged and said you should save up to a year’s worth of rent before you move, but I can say with utmost confidence that it’s possible to do it with this 3-4 months of money. If you can save more, you should. Once you move in, you should start putting aside money to save up for emergencies. But that’s another post.
• HOW DO I FIND A PLACE?: Research. Ask friends of the family. Check your local listings, both in print and online. Drive around neighborhoods you’d like to live and collect phone numbers, because not everyone can afford newspaper ads or think online resources like craigslist will bring in less-than-savory types. And always, always, always double-check places online before you schedule a viewing or sign anything. Use Yelp. Use Google Reviews. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT STEP SO DON’T SKIP IT.
• ADDITIONAL READING:
• More Advice (from my followers)
• Anthony’s Advice
• Tasha’s Advice (on Everything Else You’ll Need)

Even More Advice (cost comparison, roommates, and craigslist) Cons of Roommates (one follower’s opinion; but take it with a grain of salt, because every situation is different) Ways of Working the System (going back to school, switching employment, living in “poor” neighborhoods) A bit more regarding Working the System. Regarding Renter’s Rights Why building family/community is important A very real account of wage comparisons (USA vs AR) Property manager’s thoughts #1 Property manager’s thoughts #2 Property manager’s thoughts #3 Private owner’s thoughts RESOURCES:

Further reading: How to Grocery Shop Padmapper Freecycle Living Wage Calculator (USA-based) Feeding America Foodbank Network Play Spent or take a look at their sources Luck FINAL THOUGHT:

• I’ve seen a few different responses to this post (and more arrive regularly — I think the notes are upwards 65k last time I checked?) saying that these numbers are skewed or the info is wrong. I would like to point out that a) this is very basic info, based on real-life experience from someone whose rented from properties and from individual building-owners; whose had roommates and has lived alone; whose moved from the east coast to the west coast and back again, making quite a few mistakes along the way; and b) that every town/city/county/state/country is different so do not take these words as law. Your experiences will be very different than mine, and from what I can tell many people who have reblogged this with the desire to share the knowledge can attest that renting is hell. It doesn’t have to be. Make it not-hell with what you’ve learned. Go out and be amazing.