3 ms·

Its hard to impossible to rent an apartment around here with a low credit score. That wasn't the case several years ago. I am guessing it will just keep getting

Its hard to impossible to rent an apartment around here with a low credit score. That wasn't the case several years ago. I am guessing it will just keep getting more prevalent so you may have to live in your parents garage util 30 while waiting for that old debt to drop off your credit report.

cnp 12y ago
I'm moving to SF in a year or so because my wife is attending grad school and I am terrified about housing due to this fact. Maybe I can get my employer to sign the lease.... right
learc83 12y ago
Can't you just offer to pay a larger deposit or several months up front?
- michaelochurch 12y ago
  Can't you just offer to pay a larger deposit or several months up front? Can't you just offer the landlord occasional use of your boat and promise to pull family connections (everyone has them, no?) to get White House internships for his kids?
  - learc83 12y ago
    I'm not saying paying extra is feasible for someone without much money, but this whole comment thread was a response to one guy who basically said credit doesn't matter much if you aren't poor. Going with the implicit assumption that we're talking about someone who's making a pretty good bit of money, but who has a bad credit rating, I'm only arguing that it's not impossible to rent an apartment. I love your blog by the way.
    - a8da6b0c91d 12y ago
      I'm not rich. I make about 150 right now, which around here isn't much. I am just informing you cowed bougie woosies that your "oh noes my credit report" panics are not grounded in reality. If you pay your legit bills on time and make a solid living, credit is not a valid concern when someone is trying to fuck you. In cities like Philadelphia and Baltimore most of the households are chronically arrears on utilities. Guess what, they all have cell phones and DirectTV and cheap mortgages, and their utilities are never cut off. Mortgage originators are desperate for truly credit worthy customers. Some dings from the racketeers might be a problem if you want to rent a $4K apartment on a $90K income, but even then I doubt it. I almost get the sense that upper middle class nerds have no idea how most of society actually operates and how strong a position solid income puts you in.
      - cnp 12y ago
        Wow, talk about money causing a person to loose perspective...
      - ufmace 12y ago
        > I almost get the sense that upper middle class nerds have no idea how most of society actually operates and how strong a position solid income puts you in. Much truth to this. Also much truth that pointing out to HN that most of them have no idea how the world really works is rarely useful.
      - Iftheshoefits 12y ago
        > I almost get the sense that upper middle class nerds have no idea how most of society actually operates.... < Oh, the irony. Unless, of course, you meant to lump yourself in with the "clueless" upper middle class. $150k/yr is actually beyond middle class. That's affluent, at minimum. It's not "rich" in the sense that the average person earning that income could just stop working whenever he wanted, but for a single person that's top 5% territory, and for a family it's top 10%. For what it's worth, my household income, including passive income from rental property, is north of $200k. I know very well what having a high income affords. I've also been on the other end of the spectrum, near homeless when my impoverished single mother was raising me and my brother. I'll be blunt: you're the clueless one here. You have no idea what you're talking about, and your comments make you seem out of touch and, frankly, a bit gormless.
vinceguidry 12y ago
Just live with roommates in your twenties. Much cheaper, easier, and you always have someone to hang out with. I rented an apartment once, still got a roommate.

cnp 12y ago

I'm moving to SF in a year or so because my wife is attending grad school and I am terrified about housing due to this fact. Maybe I can get my employer to sign the lease.... right

learc83 12y ago

Can't you just offer to pay a larger deposit or several months up front?

michaelochurch 12y ago
Can't you just offer to pay a larger deposit or several months up front? Can't you just offer the landlord occasional use of your boat and promise to pull family connections (everyone has them, no?) to get White House internships for his kids?
- learc83 12y ago
  I'm not saying paying extra is feasible for someone without much money, but this whole comment thread was a response to one guy who basically said credit doesn't matter much if you aren't poor. Going with the implicit assumption that we're talking about someone who's making a pretty good bit of money, but who has a bad credit rating, I'm only arguing that it's not impossible to rent an apartment. I love your blog by the way.
  - a8da6b0c91d 12y ago
    I'm not rich. I make about 150 right now, which around here isn't much. I am just informing you cowed bougie woosies that your "oh noes my credit report" panics are not grounded in reality. If you pay your legit bills on time and make a solid living, credit is not a valid concern when someone is trying to fuck you. In cities like Philadelphia and Baltimore most of the households are chronically arrears on utilities. Guess what, they all have cell phones and DirectTV and cheap mortgages, and their utilities are never cut off. Mortgage originators are desperate for truly credit worthy customers. Some dings from the racketeers might be a problem if you want to rent a $4K apartment on a $90K income, but even then I doubt it. I almost get the sense that upper middle class nerds have no idea how most of society actually operates and how strong a position solid income puts you in.
    - cnp 12y ago
      Wow, talk about money causing a person to loose perspective...
    - ufmace 12y ago
      > I almost get the sense that upper middle class nerds have no idea how most of society actually operates and how strong a position solid income puts you in. Much truth to this. Also much truth that pointing out to HN that most of them have no idea how the world really works is rarely useful.
    - Iftheshoefits 12y ago
      > I almost get the sense that upper middle class nerds have no idea how most of society actually operates.... < Oh, the irony. Unless, of course, you meant to lump yourself in with the "clueless" upper middle class. $150k/yr is actually beyond middle class. That's affluent, at minimum. It's not "rich" in the sense that the average person earning that income could just stop working whenever he wanted, but for a single person that's top 5% territory, and for a family it's top 10%. For what it's worth, my household income, including passive income from rental property, is north of $200k. I know very well what having a high income affords. I've also been on the other end of the spectrum, near homeless when my impoverished single mother was raising me and my brother. I'll be blunt: you're the clueless one here. You have no idea what you're talking about, and your comments make you seem out of touch and, frankly, a bit gormless.

vinceguidry 12y ago

Just live with roommates in your twenties. Much cheaper, easier, and you always have someone to hang out with. I rented an apartment once, still got a roommate.