SaveComments (Image credit: haveseen/Shutterstock) In almost all circumstances, a landlord or property manager will run your credit before renting out a place to you. But, what credit score is ideal for tenants and what’s the lowest three-digit number landlords deem acceptable? For more content like this follow The truth is, there’s some mystery shrouding this question. Unlike the home-buying process, where formal charts will help you figure out what rates you’ll qualify for based, in large part, on your credit score, landlords operate at their own discretion. So, we posed this question—what credit score do you need to rent out an apartment?—to 15 experts. Most agreed that you need a credit score of at least 650 to snag an apartment without any additional hurdles, like extra deposits, guarantors, or paying extra months of rent in advance. Most of them also noted some caveats. Here’s a sampling of their responses:
What to do if your score isn’t ideal:Since somewhere around 650 appears to be the bare minimum score many landlords want to see, many millennials will just barely eek past that requirement. Most millennials have fair credit, with the average score of younger millennials (age 22 to 28) being 652, according to Experian. Older millennials (age 29 to 35) have an average score of 665. So, what are tenants to do if their credit scores don’t wow their landlords? Don’t get too discouraged, says Scalzo. Oftentimes, the landlord or rental company will work with you and ask for more upfront rent, additional references, or a larger deposit. Also, your credit score isn’t the only thing landlords are looking at when they’re determining your financial responsibility. Even if you have a credit score in the high 600s, some seemingly small issues can cause extra hurdles, explains Ilan Sionit, a real estate agent with Douglas Elliman in Brooklyn, New York. For example, late payments, maxed out credit cards, and any judgements can be red flags for landlords, Sionit explains. So if you’ve got a lower-than-desired credit score or some of these smaller credit issues, expect a landlord to ask for first and last months’ rental payments and a security deposit, Sionit says. Bigger issues (think: bad credit and a housing-related judgement against you) may require six months of upfront payments or a cosigner with strong credit. Sinoit explains that he’s had instances where tenants with no credit or a low credit score, but without late payments or credit issues, were able to put less money down than someone with a 600 or higher score, but with some credit issues dinging their score. Housing judgments, of course, are huge red flags for landlords. Holzer says he once worked with a client who had one, and he explained the situation to the landlord and the client offered to pay an entire year’s rent up front. The landlord agreed to rent her the apartment. “This was a smaller landlord,” he says. “The scenario most likely would not have worked if it were a large, corporate-type management company.” Will a higher credit score get you perks?When you’re buying a home, a 760 or higher credit score can save you thousands of dollars in interest over the years, because it will help you get the lowest interest rate. But a stellar credit score isn’t likely to help you get lower rental rates. “Rental rates are based on the market value and the individual or company’s urgency to rent,” says Scalzo. On the upside, excellent credit scores will help you keep your funds liquid, because you won’t have to put as much down to move in. Even if you have a credit score in the high 700s or above, it’s not likely a landlord will offer a reduced security deposit that’s less than one month’s rent, says Sarah Hill, CEO of Perfect Strangers, a New York City company that will connect you with roommates and rentals. Don’t get your hopes up, but if you’re a strong applicant, you may be able to get a reduction in monthly rent by $50 to $100. The key to this is to make the request when applying, she says. Hey, it doesn’t hurt to ask, right? |