What It Can Mean to You
Do you need to move or
find an apartment

 Why do you want or need to move?
 Here’s some things to think about?
Wish List 1.
Where would you like to live?

 What does your ideal neighborhood look like?








Schools
Transportation
Access to shopping
Near to friends & family
Near to work
Trees and parks
Safety
Other considerations
Wish List 2.
Imagine your new home

 What does it look like?
 Apartment
 Single family
 Duplex
 What do you need?








# of Rooms
# Bedrooms
# Bathrooms
Large rooms
Kitchen
Parking/garage
Storage areas
Other considerations
Wish List 3.
Other considerations:

 Accessibility/handicap issues
 Lead paint: Does someone under six live in your
household?
 Pets
 Do you need a yard?
 On/near a bus route
 Washer/dryer hook-ups
 Near a real grocery store?
 Other considerations
Visit the neighborhood

 Walk around – at different times of day
 Weekends can also be busier
 Ask the people who live there what they think of it
 Is there convenient shopping?
 Are the buildings/streets well maintained?
 Look for trash, filth in streets/parks, signs of
criminal activity
The Real World 1.
Can you afford it?

 Take a close look at your rent and monthly expenses
 What’s a realistic rent
 Factoring in heat and utilities
 Creating a working budget
 Financial Management Workshop
The Real World 2.
Your rental history

 What’s your relationship with your present
landlord?
 Previous landlords and rental history?
 Were you ever evicted?
 Credit and credit reports
 CORI reports
 Other considerations
 What’s your side of the story?
Budgeting and stretching
your money

Have a budget
Have a plan!
Getting your references
in shape

 Your present landlord
 Old landlords
 Your credit report: What are your rights?
1.
2.
“Pulling” your credit report
Fixing your credit report
 CORI reports: What are your rights?
 Work references
 Personal references
 Bad References – How to handle them
Where To Look for an
Apartment

 Internet – Craig’s list, etc.
 www.gosection8.com
 Newspapers
 Housing authority lists
 MassAccess Housing Registry
http://www.massaccesshousingregistry.org/
 Community bulletin boards
The need for a search
strategy

 “The most important thing is to start; to lay down a plan,
and then follow it step by step no matter how small or
large each one by itself may seem.”
- Charles Lindbergh, in his book The Spirit of St. Louis
Contacting the landlord

 Phone etiquette
 How to present yourself: The importance of first
impressions




Be polite
Be punctual
Be friendly
Be organized
 Have names, addresses available
 Dress appropriately
 Find childcare if possible
Contacting the landlord cont. . .

 What a potential landlord can and cannot ask in an
application
 Application fees
 Following up once you’ve applied
What to ask the landlord

What is the rent?
What utilities (heat/hot water/electricity) are included?
What kind of heat do you have?
What were the heating costs for last year?
What appliances are included with the apartment?
When will the apartment be available?
What are the move-in costs (first & last month’s rent,
security deposit, key fee)?
 Do you prefer a lease or a month-to-month rental
agreement?
 Are there any other things I should be aware of or you
would like to ask me?







If you’re interested, say you’re
interested, but don’t seem desperate!

Fair Housing Laws

 Sometimes a “no” constitutes discrimination – and
sometimes it doesn’t…
 How to tell the difference
Fair Housing Laws

 Federal and state regulations
 What constitutes discrimination?
 Discriminatory advertising
 What to look for
 What is a “Protected Category?”
Fair Housing Laws:
What are the protected categories?









Race
Color
National Origin
Religion
Sex
Familial Status
Marital Status
Handicap
Age








Sexual Orientation
Gender Identity and
Expression
Military/Veteran
Status
Ancestry
Public Assistance
Housing Subsidies
Genetic Information
Fair Housing Laws

 Reasonable accommodation and housing search
 Lead paint regulations
 Domestic violence and sexual harassment
What to do if you think you’re a
victim of housing discrimination

Move-in Considerations

 Deposits
 Leases versus rental agreements
 What a prospective landlord can ask for:




Key fee
First Month’s Rent
Last Month’s Rent
Security Deposit
Getting there from
here…

 Making a plan for yourself
 Stay with it
 Financial Planning Workshop
 When is it next offered?
 We can work with you to make it happen!
 Working with a Counselor