Before you submit your application(s), please review the general qualifications guidelines below.  We don't want you to pay the non-refundable application fee if you are not likely to be accepted as a tenant by the owner of the property you are interested in.   If in doubt, please call us so we can review your situation.   We don't make the decision, the property owner does, but we can usually provide some guidance on the likelihood of acceptance.   The minumum qualifications are:

• Verifiable household pre-tax income at least 3.5 times the rent
• No Bankruptcies that have not been discharged
• No lates in past year on rent, utilities, cars, credit cards
• Must have an active bank account
• Credit score above 640.  Incme is only counted for applicants that have a credit score over 640.
• Minimum of one year of positive rental or ownerhip history.  If rental, must be from a paid rental, not rented from a family member, and not student housing.
• No unpaid balance due to previous landlord or mortgage company
• No prior evictions or foreclosures
• No violent crime convictions or outstanding charges
• No more than 2 pets, under 60lbs, no less than 1 year old.  Many properties have additional pet restrictions.  Check the listing on rentalhomekc.com for the speciific home you are interested in.

APPLICANTS
Every adult (age 18 or older) that will occupy the home must submit photo ID and an application. 

INCOME
Owners look for income about 3.5 times the monthly rent and will require evidence of the income, such as pay stubs with year-to-date earnings.   Please call if you do not have pay stubs because you are self employed or other special circumstances.   Only income from applicants that meet the minimum credit score is counted toward the 3.5 times the rent requirement.

RENTAL HISTORY
Owners want to see a pattern of paying rent (or mortgage payments) promptly.   They want to see No late rent or evictions when we do the rental history verifications.   At least one year of payments to Landlords or Mortage companies is required.  Family members and student housing are not considered Landlords.  Owners also look at the amount of rent or house payment you currently pay and will be concerned if the house you want to rent is significantly higher.

CREDIT HISTORY
Owners want to be comfortable that you pay your bills in a timely manner.     Generally, you need to have cre dit scores of 640 or higher.   If you dont know your score, you can find out free thru CreditKarma.com  However, online credit scores are often higher than what we will see when we do the credit check because we use bank FICO scores.  Bankruptcies that have not been discharged, recent Foreclosures or Short Sales, and multiple late payments for utilities, car loans and other creditors are usually reasons for an application to be rejected.  These issues will be shown on a credit report.

We understand there are many reasons for credit problems and we can work with many of them - but please discuss any of the ones above with us before you submit your application.  If you have been turned down for a rental property based on credit history or dont think your credit will meet the requirements above, you may want to contact a credit repair service.

CO-SIGNER / GUARANTOR
A guarantor must submit an application.  You can use a guarantor if your credit score does not meet the minimum requirement.   The guarantor's income does not count toward the minimum total income.  However, the guarantor must have sufficient income and credit that they would meet the minimum qualificatins on their own.

CRIMINAL HISTORY
Owners want tenants who will be peaceful and safe for the home and the neighborhood.  We run a background check on all applicants.   Applicants with felony crimes and some misdemeanors (not traffic tickets), such as bad checks, will likely be rejected.  Please discuss your situation with us before you apply if you have these issues on your record.

PETS
Some owners allow pets of specific types and size but some do not.  Each property will have its own pet rules but we rarely accept more than 2 pets, pets over 60 pounds , very young pets, and certain breeds of pets in any home.  Pets often damage homes and may make the home uninhabitable by some future tenants who are allergic to the pet.  Please be sure you accurately reveal all pets you plan to have in the home.  The lease does not allow you to bring additional pets after lease signing without written approval of the owner.

APPLICATION ACCURACY
Any falsified, withheld, or misleading information provided on the application is cause for rejection.   If these problems are found after a lease is signed, they constitute a breach of  the lease agreement resulting in legal remedies per the lease, including forfeiture of the deposit and eviction.    Each adult, age 18 or older, who will occupy the property, must complete a separate application, whether  they have income or not.  Failure to disclose residents of the home is misrepresentation, therefore a breach of the lease.