Get your finances and paperwork in order
Before you start rental hunting, make sure you know where you stand financially. Many landlords will run a credit check on you, so obtain a copy of your credit report first to uncover (and remedy) any red flags that might get in the way of your approval. Then figure out how much rent you can afford per month and make sure you have enough money to lay out for first month’s rent, last month’s rent and a security deposit; many landlords want at least two out of the three -- if not all -- up front.
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