Rental Procedures

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING REGARDING RENTING A HOME, IT SHOULD ANSWER MOST OF YOUR QUESTIONS.

THE KEY IS IN BEING PREPARED & MOVING QUICKLY ONCE YOU FIND THE RENTAL HOME YOU WANT!


Please note:  Credit scores below 600, evictions, unpaid broken leases, felony criminal backgrounds & pet owners with dogs on the aggressive breed list are very difficult objections to overcome with most landlords. We would recommend applying to rent an apartment or try to locate a For Rent by Owner. With credit scores of 580-599, a landlord may require a double deposit, it just depends on other factors such as rental history & income. When searching for homes to lease, beware of rental scams and verify the ID of the owner at www.hcad.org.  Never send money by mail in exchange for a key!

Appointments to view homes should be made no more than 2-4 weeks before your move and all decision-making parties must be present. The rental market moves quickly and you may lose a home with any slight delay. The average turnover rate for a rental is around 30 days, so most landlords will not rent to you if you cant move in within 30 days. The closer you are to your preferred move-in date, the better. I am paid by the landlord/landlord’s broker but will fully represent your interests with a Tenant Representation Agreement.  Anything you tell me is confidential and my services are completely free to you.

It’s simple - If we can’t get you into a home, we do not get paid for our time – period. We will do our very best to help you get approved, we have lots of experience doing just that! Please be honest on your application, we are on your side! We will review your application and advise you accordingly, no matter what issues you may have. 

In order to expedite the fastest processing of your application, please provide the following. You will also need to have given notice to your current landlord. Normally, this is a 30-day notice but check your current lease agreement, it may be 60 days or even longer.

The following 4 items may vary, but should cover most landlord requirements:

Other possible items:

 

PLEASE HAVE THE FOLLOWING PREPARED ONCE WE FIND THE HOME YOU WANT:

The 1st full month’s rent is due upon the move-in date, but you may pay it early if you wish. Any pro-rated rent from the first month will be due the 1st of the following month. You will be notified of whom to pay the security deposit and rent upon approval. This will normally be two separate parties and each must be paid by certified check or money order only. After the initial security deposit and 1st month’s rent, you can usually pay by personal check.

The MLS may not reflect that the home has been rented, but if you’ve signed a lease and paid your deposit, it won’t be rented to anyone else. Also, the rental sign is not normally removed from the property until your move-in date. The listing agent is in control of these two items.

After move-in, complete the Inventory & Condition Form. This needs to be returned to the owner within the required amount of days listed on the lease. Please complete and return to me. I will keep a copy for your records and forward it to the listing broker. Don’t forget this last step, it’s for your protection!