Just like you need a resume to land a job, you can land the perfect home with a renter resume. The rental market is facing competitive barriers which are pushing a lot of potential tenants out and forcing them to look at alternative means of housing. Today we take a look at rental resumes and how they gain you the competitive edge against other applicants in a time where it can feel like the whole city is applying for the same rental as you.
Basics
To begin with, start simple. Having an easy to read rental resume is the first step to securing your new space. We suggest using a renter’s template to give yourself the competitive edge. Check out Trulia’s Renters resume template for an original template that your potential landlords will love you for.
Just like a job, you’ll want to include the following basic information on your resume.
• Full names of everyone on application
• Dates of birth
• Current address
• Contact information
• Previous residences
• A reference list (previous landlords are ideal for this)
• Income and current employer proof
• Job title
Previous Residences
In your renter resume, include the dates when you lived in your last home and how much your rent was. You’ll also want to mention the reason you left.
Example:
Castor Bay Villa Apartments
January 2012- January 2014
Rent: $822
Reason for leaving: Moving in with partner
Bonus tip: If you have them, include before and after shots of your last property. Displaying photos is an easy way to show your landlord proof that you will upgrade or maintain their property when inhabiting it.
Objective Statement
Once you’ve got the basics out of the way, make your renters resume your own. Include an objective statement that discusses who you are, what you’re searching for (e.g. three bedroom house) and your budget for rent. This establishes your personality and the type of tenant you will be.
In the same way, a future boss may look at your hobbies and character references to get an idea of how you work; landlords can use statements to judge if you will be a good match for the property. The most important thing about an objective statement is getting your personality and character across, the fewer surprises you give your potential landlord, the better.
Be Authentic
The bottom line is you’re trying to sell yourself as someone who won’t wreck the house. Naturally, references are the easiest way to do this; having someone else tell your potential landlord why you are a good candidate is a lot easier than pleading your case via an objective statement. If you don’t have a clean background, don’t stress. You can advertise yourself on your renter resume as “These are the reasons why I am the ideal candidate even though I might not seem it on record.”
Any past experiences that may tarnish your application disclose up-front. For example, if you got evicted from your last place because the friend you co-signed an apartment with couldn’t pay rent on time, mention that. Disclosing that sort of information can help massively. When you explain your situation and how you got into it, property managers will respect your honesty and often understand and look past lousy credit scores etc.
These days it’s not enough just being the most qualified renters with proper credit and stable income. With demand so high, even the most competent renters will fall short of securing that new rental property. SnapInspect suggests applying for a rental property with the same competitiveness, professionalism and hunger as you would with a dream job. Since applying for rentals is as competitive as the job market it makes sense to give it everything you’ve got to land your dream rental.
