FICO scores and getting an apartment

Anonymous · ‎03-14-2008

Dh is looking for a job in another city, which means we'll be getting an apartment for a while. Right now his scores are 743, 734, and 707. My scores are 709, and 720 (I don't have a TransUnion score). We currently have our cards at 70% of the limit. If we pay it down to 50% or lower, how much will our scores go up?

I have a previous eviction (7 years ago - while single), but dh has a clean rental history. I'm scared to death of not having our applications accepted. How likely is that?

Message Edited by thesillygoose on 03-14-2008 08:15 AM

Anonymous · ‎03-14-2008

Going through the same thing right now as you........... Apt companies usually use transunion for scores (your OK on that end) as far as the eviction goes, the credit check tends to go back 4 years (sometimes 6 but not more than) on rental histories or morgage payments. They will also check for chapter 7, employment hist, and etc. ..... I think you'll be ok!!

Chanduwar · ‎03-14-2008

Hi,

My scores are Experian 578, Equifax 566, TU I do not know. I never had evictions. I will soon be looking for an apartment. How good are my chances for approval?

Chanduwar

Anonymous · ‎03-14-2008

@Anonymous wrote:
Dh is looking for a job in another city, which means we'll be getting an apartment for a while. Right now his scores are 743, 734, and 707. My scores are 709, and 720 (I don't have a TransUnion score). We currently have our cards at 70% of the limit. If we pay it down to 50% or lower, how much will our scores go up?
I have a previous eviction (7 years ago - while single), but dh has a clean rental history. I'm scared to death of not having our applications accepted. How likely is that?

Message Edited by thesillygoose on 03-14-2008 08:15 AM

You have nothing to worry about.

Anonymous · ‎03-14-2008

I have gotten 2 seperate apartments in the past 3.5 years with a TU score around 640 and they were both apartments in a pretty nice area of a small city... if that gives you any idea, but then I have no idea about the different requirements in different areas.

Anonymous · ‎03-14-2008

Does it matter that I don't have a TU score? What do they do then?

Anonymous · ‎03-14-2008

I just got an apartment with fico scores of EX579, Eq578, and TU629(yea i know). I dont have any evictions, but they seemed to be more worried about drug convictions and violence than anything.

Anonymous · ‎03-14-2008

We don't have either of those. Is the same true if it's a condo or house for rent through an individual or realtor?

Dawn · ‎03-14-2008

thesillygoose wrote:
Does it matter that I don't have a TU score? What do they do then?

When my son got his first apartment, he did not have a credit score. Because of the lack of credit history, they simply made him pay a larger deposit. That could still vary from one apartment complex to another.

Some apartments will provide you with written guidelines when you first go look at their rental units. If they don't have those guidelines in writing, see how much information they can provide to you verbally.

There are also apartment finders who can evaluate your situation and they will have some idea of which apartments will take tenants under different circumstances.

Junejer · ‎03-14-2008

@Anonymous wrote:
Going through the same thing right now as you........... Apt companies usually use transunion for scores (your OK on that end) as far as the eviction goes, the credit check tends to go back 4 years (sometimes 6 but not more than) on rental histories or morgage payments. They will also check for chapter 7, employment hist, and etc. ..... I think you'll be ok!!

I'd bet that varies from company to company and in what region of the country in which you reside.