What Is the Minimum Credit Score You Need to Rent a House?

By Mary O'Neil

For those with poor credit, renting a house is difficult. Most landlords require tenants to have a minimum credit score to rent a house. But most people hardly ever check their own scores, nor know how to raise a low one. Before you start looking for that perfect house to rent, consider researching your own…

What is a Credit Reference on a Rental Application?

By Mary O'Neil

When putting in a rental application, you want to represent your worthiness as a tenant as completely as possible. Promoting yourself can only get you so far in the eyes of a potential landlord, but the word of someone else often carries more weight. For this reason, you may want to beef up the materials…

How to Find Landlords That Accept Section 8 Vouchers

By Mary O'Neil

Many renters know that finding affordable housing is tricky these days. As a result, many low-income families turn to housing vouchers to help cover the cost of the rent. More than 5 million households use federal rental assistance through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Section 8 program, and about 70 percent of those individuals…

Do Renters Pay HOA Fees? Here’s Who Pays HOA Fees in a Rental Home

By Mary O'Neil

Home Owners Associations (HOAs) cover a variety of neighborhood costs. From maintaining common spaces like a pool or tennis courts to hosting community events, the role of an HOA is important but it also means those living in the neighborhood have to pay. When you’re a renter, there can be some confusion as to who…

Airbnb vs Renting Out Your House: Pros and Cons to Consider

By Mary O'Neil

Having a rental property today doesn’t mean you have to follow a traditional rental income path. You don’t have to collect monthly rent from tenants who sign long-term leases. There are options. Landlords today can look at a rental property and see it as an investment property. But they can also decide to turn it…