When you search online for eviction forgiveness apartments near me, you won’t get accurate results like we accept eviction notices. Check the listings Google Maps, Yelp, or Yellow Pages give you and the recommended apartments often state “no evictions” on their website!
Searching for apartments that take evictions is frustrating and time-consuming. In this guide to finding apartments that work with evictions, you’ll learn how to rent with an eviction on your record and discover the apartment-finding strategies that get the best results.
Eviction Forgiveness Apartments Near Me 2024 – The Number 1 Short-Cut
Second chance apartment finders are the fastest and easiest way to find apartments that take evictions in your local area.
An apartment finder is a licensed real estate agent. Second chance rental program finders specialize in arranging rentals for tenants with:
- Bad Credit
- Poor rental history
- Evictions
- Criminal backgrounds
With expert knowledge of the local rental market, 2nd-chance apartment finders match you with landlords offering eviction approved apartments.
Most landlords see an eviction as a huge red flag indicating a high risk of rent default or other bad behavior. This is why you need to find apartments for rent with eviction friendly landlords.
If you keep applying for standard apartment rentals, you’ll keep paying application fees only to get turned down again and again.
When you use a reputable second-chance apartment finder, you’ll only apply to apartments that work with evictions.
To get help from a second chance housing program finder, search online for bad rental history apartments near me.
When you call or send a message, mention the eviction right away. Keep it simple, say “Hi, I’m looking for eviction friendly apartments near me in (your area) can you help me?”
You’ll also want to find out if their service is free, or fee-based. Some apartment finders work with landlords offering a commission, so you won’t pay a fee. Others expect you to pay for their service.
Contact several before you choose one to work with. If you live in or near a major metropolitan area, contact these apartment locator services.
Second Chance Apartments that accept evictions
Website: https://secondchanceapartments.com/
Second Chance Locators
Website: https://secondchancelocators.com/
Finding Apartments That Work With Evictions
If working with an apartment locator isn’t an option for you, the best approach is to find landlords who don’t run background checks or are willing to consider evictions.
This means moving your search focus away from large apartment complexes and looking for private landlords with a house or condo to rent instead.
Large apartment complexes run by property management companies aren’t known for flexible rental policies. On the other hand, independent landlords have the freedom to make a judgment call about your eviction after considering the circumstances.
On rental sites, set search filters to show you houses and condos instead of apartments.
Check your local Craigslist site and Facebook Marketplace for private landlords as well.
When you meet with private owners who accept evictions, be prepared to make a good case for yourself and explain why the eviction happened.
An eviction caused by financial issues outside your control will be looked at more favorably than an eviction for property damage, illegal activity, or a refusal to vacate at the end of the lease.
Check If You Need To Look For Eviction Approved Apartments
Were you actually evicted? An eviction is a legal process carried out through the courts. Don’t assume you have an eviction, always check.
Did you leave after you received a notice to quit, or did your landlord have to get a court-ordered eviction to make you leave?
A notice to quit or a notice to vacate issued by your landlord isn’t the same thing as a court-ordered eviction. A notice to quit won’t show on your background report.
The unpaid debt and hit to your credit score will show on the credit report section of your rental background check, but you can still qualify for many apartment rentals with a less-than-perfect credit history.
If you were evicted with a court order and the eviction was very recent, it might not be on your background report yet. Evictions can take up to 60 days before they’re visible on a background screen.
It could be worth running a report on yourself to see if the eviction shows up. If the eviction isn’t on your report yet, arrange a new rental as soon as possible.
Talk To Your Previous Landlord
Contact the landlord who evicted you and offer to settle your debt in return for the removal of the debt from your credit file. If you can’t afford to clear the debt in a single payment, offer to pay off your debt to the landlord in installments.
Once the debt is settled, the landlord sends a notice to the credit bureau telling them to remove the debt record from your credit file.
If you were evicted with a notice to quit, clearing the debt will make future rental applications much easier.
If you went through a court-ordered eviction, you may be able to have the eviction record sealed once the debt is cleared.
This process varies depending on the state you live in and usually involves filing a motion to seal with the court. Once the eviction is sealed, landlords won’t be able to see any record of the eviction when they run a background report.
Offer A Higher Security Deposit
The reason landlords are so reluctant to rent to tenants with previous evictions is because of the high costs involved when a tenant breaks a lease. Eviction costs can easily exceed $4,000.
Offering a higher security deposit gives the landlord some assurance they won’t lose money if you’re unable to pay the rent. The security deposit will be returned to you as long as you fulfill the terms of your lease, and may even earn interest. Some states require landlords to place security deposits in interest-earning accounts.
Offer To Pay More Rent In Advance
Getting the rent paid on time is the biggest concern for landlords. The more you do to make the landlord feel secure about rent payments, the better chance you’ll have of securing a place to live.
Most rentals ask for the first month’s rent in advance. Offering two months (or more) rent in advance could sway the landlord in your favor.
Don’t be afraid to negotiate, just be polite and friendly while you try to work out a deal.
Offer To Pay For Rent Insurance
Landlords can purchase rent insurance, which safeguards landlords against financial loss and eviction costs if the tenant fails to pay their rent.
Offer to pay the cost of the insurance premium as a lump sum upfront.
The landlord you talk to might not know about rent guarantee insurance. In this case, ask if the landlord is willing to get back to you after they’ve looked into insurance options.
To a landlord, your eviction record is proof that you cost your previous landlord a lot of money. Rent guarantee insurance could be the extra incentive they need to feel confident renting to you.
Find A Cosigner Or Guarantor
A cosigner or guarantor is legally responsible for paying the rent if you’re unable to meet your obligations.
Cosigners and guarantors are slightly different. A cosigner has the same rights as the tenant and can live in the apartment, while a guarantor doesn’t have any right to live in the property.
Having a friend, relative, or roommate willing to accept financial responsibility for your rent payments will help a landlord feel more comfortable about renting to you.
Cosigners and guarantors have to pass a background check, so the person you ask should have a clean background and a good credit score.
Provide Proof Of Financial Stability
You can’t expect a landlord to accept your word as your bond when you’ve broken contracts in the past.
If you went through eviction at a low point in your life because of financial stress caused by a job loss, relationship breakdown, or bereavement, show evidence that you’re financially stable again.
Gather bank statements showing regular income, and ideally, a savings balance equal to at least two month’s rent.
Employment and character references help landlords understand that eviction was caused by unforeseen events and show you’re normally a trustworthy, responsible person.
Consider Short-Term Rentals
Month-to-month rentals, rentals by the week, long-stay hotels, and short-term leases are all options to consider when you’re looking for an apartment to rent with an eviction on your record.
These rentals tend to cost more, but they’re easier to get approval for.
Use a search engine to find short-term rentals, or look on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and
Airbnb.
Some short-term rentals come with the upside of being fully furnished and inclusive of all utilities, which offsets some of the higher rental costs.
You’ll find a wide selection of furnished short-term rentals at https://www.corporatehousingbyowner.com/.
Fill out the housing request form (mention your eviction) and a leasing agent will get back to you if they have any suitable properties in your area.
How Long Does An Eviction Stay On Your Record?
Landlords will be able to see an eviction on your background report for 7 years. If your eviction resulted in your debt being sent to a collections agency, the debt in the collection will show on your credit report for 7 years plus 180 days from the date of the delinquent payment.
Because evictions are reported for such a long period, it’s in your best interest to work towards getting the eviction removed from your record as soon as possible.
Scams To Watch Out For When You’re Looking For Eviction-Friendly Apartments
Even though your rental options are more limited with an eviction in your rental history, don’t let your guard down and fall for scammers.
Finding a landlord who doesn’t want to run a background check or credit check can seem like the answer to your prayers, but you need to keep your wits about you.
- Never pay a security deposit or advance rent until you’ve signed a lease.
- Don’t sign a lease without viewing the apartment.
- Don’t send money to an overseas account or send wire payments.
Quick Recap
Finding apartments for rent with an eviction history on your background report is possible as long as you approach your search the right way.
- Verify you have a court-ordered eviction and not just a notice to quit
- Look for private landlords and use second-chance apartment finders
- Have bank statements and employment references ready
- Work on clearing any debt you owe to your previous landlord
- Negotiate – offer to pay a higher security deposit or higher rent
- Find a cosigner or guarantor
- Offer to pay for rent guarantee insurance
Proving you’re financially responsible and committed to fulfilling a rental contract takes some effort. Remember, landlords are in business to make money. You need to convince them they won’t lose money if they take you on as a tenant.
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Charles Greg is the Co-Founder, Author, & Head Developer behind RentingtoFelons.org
With a lifelong passion for humanity.