The International
I am relocating to the US. What is a credit score?
A credit score in the United States is a number representing the creditworthiness of a person. It is used by landlords to determine the likelihood that a person will pay his or her rent. Landlords prefer tenants with good credit and try to avoid people with bad credit . You can build your credit by paying all your bills on time and keeping your debts well within your credit limits. That said, if you are a student or relocating from abroad you may not have a US credit score yet and as a result landlords may not accept your application.
Do I need a US credit score to rent an apartment?
Unfortunately renting an apartment without a credit score is no easy task. Some landlords may give you alternatives to qualify for their apartment. For example, some may ask you to pay the year’s rent up front . Others ask for as much as 6 months' security deposit . Or you may be asked to find a US-based guarantor .
Where can I find a US guarantor?
Of course, just because you don’t have a US credit score doesn't mean you won’t pay your rent. That’s why we created a service that qualifies you to rent even when a landlord initially can’t approve you. We can be your guarantor. Whether you have found an apartment or not, it would be smart to fill out our questionnaire so we can let you know how we can help you sign a lease. Qualifying is free and will only take a few minutes.