Qualifications

In general most apartments in San Antonio are looking for the same thing: a reliable tenant. Much in the same way banks or mortgage companies determine the risk of handing a loan over to someone, apartment companies must determine the risk of letting someone occupy their valuable space. In order to accommodate you, the apartment company must have the security of knowing that you will pay your rent on time every month and will do your best to leave the apartment in the same condition it was given to you. In calculating this risk, most San Antonio apartment companies will take into account four main factors:

1. Household Income
2. Prior Renter History
3. Credit Check
4. Background Check

Household Income

Income requirements are pretty simple: monthly income must be three times monthly rent. This varies from apartment to apartment, but the vast majority will have this rule. This requirement is based on your gross income, not net income so there is some room to breathe.

Prior Renter History

This is important. Apartment companies will check your renter history to see what kind of renter you are. This is where broken leases come back to haunt you. If you have broken leases, or heaven forbid, an eviction, then you are far less likely to be approved. Again, these vary and are always handled on a case by case basis. If you have broken leases or evictions you might still be able to get approved.

Credit Check

Here is where the bank/mortgage company analogy comes back into play. Your credit history is used as a cross section of payment responsibility. The higher your credit score the less of a payment risk you are and the more likely you are to pay your rent on time, at least, that's the way they see it. Bad credit or no credit does not exclude you from approval, however. But certain steps might need to be taken to push your approval through. Most apartment companies will work with you on this point. Owing a utility company money is something that might result in automatic denial. This is due to the fact that you must be able to pay the electricity on the dwelling you are occupying.

Background Check

The apartment companies have a duty to you their customer, but they also have a duty to their current renters and to their assets. A criminal history can be very detrimental to your chances of approval, although, as always, each case is handled separately. Apartment companies look very unfavorably at crimes against people (Assault or Battery) or property (B&E or Burglary). Class A misdemeanors will severly hinder your chances of approval and felonies will almost always result in an automatic denial.

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