Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Renting with pets can be tricky. Every apartment’s pet policy is different, but here are some of the important things to be aware of:
- Monthly pet rent is typically $0 – $15 per pet.
- There are often pet fees (which you don’t get back) and pet deposits (refundable at end of your lease minus damages).
- Some apartments don’t take pets at all, but if they do, most weight limits kick in at 30lbs and go up in increments. A select few apartments have no weight limits.
- While there are some exceptions, most apartments do not take aggressive breed dogs.
- The general rule of thumb is no more than 2 pets per household.
Most renters have heard of the term ‘cosigner’, however what most first time renters have in San Marcos are actually ‘guarantors’. Here’s what you need to know:
- Depending on the property, guarantors need to make anywhere from 3-6 times the monthly rent amount.
- Guarantors also need to have good credit and a clean background, they are screened just like the prospective renter.
- Guarantors can only assit in the instance you make less than the income requirement. Guarantors can’t help with bad credit or criminal background issues.
Many students and young professionals find this option is a great way to get into a nicer apartment, while having private space and limited financial responsibility for your roommates. If a rental property offers By-The-Bedroom, here is what it entails:
- These properties will do roommate matching so they will find/assign you roommates so that you don’t have to.
- These properties typically have a mass move-in date (mid-August) and most, if not all, of them have leases that end July 31st.
- These properties can lease it either furnished or unfurnished. Some apartments are one way or the other by default and others can do either/or, although with a price difference.
- These properties typically include at least 1 bill if not multiple bills and generally include a washer and dryer in the unit.
- Renters sign individual leases so they are protected financially if their roommates don’t pay rent. They pay rent for their room and are responsible for their room while sharing a common area in the apartment.
- Most properties encourage or require a 3rd party called Simple Bills. This will divide the electric bill among all roommates vs having one resident get the bill in their name and ask each roommate for their portion.
Qualifying is the apartment’s way of determining whether you are the type of tenant they are looking for. It encompasses your ability to pay rent, your character and your track record of being a responsible tenant.
- Typically student housing (individual leased apartments) and conventional (“normal”) apartments require the rent to make 3 times the rent amount.
- Tax Credit (Section 8) typically requires you make either 2 or 2.5 times the rent amount but have a ceiling where you cannot exceed a certain amount of income based on the number of people living in the unit.
- Properties generally take anywhere from your last 4-8 weeks’ worth of pay stubs but can sometimes work with offer letters, financial aid, and various types of income such as GI bill, social security, etc.
- Some properties use a score based system in which anything under 600 may require a guarantor (again this varies case by case). Others use a positive/negative system where you need more good credit than bad credit.
- Some apartments require at least 6 months or 1 year of rental history to qualify on your own, otherwise you need a guarantor. There are others who will work with 1st time renters.
- “Red flags” such as broken leases, evictions, misdemeanors, felonies, etc. will limit the amount of options available but there are apartments that will work with them. Typically the renter will have to pay a higher deposit.
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