How to Find a Home After Divorce with Limited Finances
Search the Internet., Contact hotels., View the apartment., Check your credit., Ask if you can forego a security deposit., Get a roommate, if necessary.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Search the Internet.
Looking for cheap rental options is a little like searching for a needle in a haystack.
However, there are cheap apartment rentals out there.
Check websites such as Rent.com.
A studio or a bedroom in someone’s house will probably be the cheapest to rent.
You might need a small place at first—really small.
In expensive cities, you might get a 100 square foot micro-studio for under $1,000.Also consider apartments in slightly shady neighborhoods.
Check neighborhood crime rates at www.neighborhoodscout.com.
Remember that your first home after a divorce doesn’t need to be your permanent home. -
Step 2: Contact hotels.
You might only need a temporary place to stay, e.g., for a month or so.
In some countries, such as Canada, a lease must be for at least 12 months.Your only option for short-term housing might be to stay in a hotel or motel.
Many national chains have extended-stay hotels.
Call and ask about rates.
Renting a hotel this way is more expensive than renting an apartment.
However, it’s more convenient if you need short-term housing. , Call up the landlord and ask to see the place.
No matter how desperate you are, you shouldn’t rent a place without first viewing it.
Some cheap apartments are unsanitary and unsafe.
Make sure the apartment is close to work or accessible by public transportation.
Check your cell phone reception.You can save money if you just use your cell phone and skip the landline.
Also confirm that there is enough water pressure.
Flush the toilet and turn on the taps. , More and more landlords are looking at people’s credit history before deciding to rent to them.
Pull your credit score and credit history.
If your score is low, try to clean up your credit history quickly.
There may be errors on your credit history that are pulling down your score.
For example, your ex-spouse’s debts might show up on your credit report, or accounts might wrongly be listed as in default.
Dispute any credit report errors.
It usually takes a couple months for inaccurate information to come off. , Landlords typically want a month’s rent as a security deposit to protect them in case you damage the apartment or skip out before the end of the lease.If you have good credit or a long rental history, you can ask the landlord if you can rent without paying a deposit.
If necessary, check whether you can put your rent on a credit card.
It’s not an ideal solution, but it will help you get a roof over your head.
You can pay the credit balance down once you get re-established. , Any apartment is cheaper if you have someone splitting the bills.
You can advertise for a roommate on websites such as Craigslist, though it is better if you know the person already.
Confirm that the lease allows you to have a roommate, because not all leases do.If you have to advertise, ask any potential roommate for references and one month’s security deposit.
Be very clear about your expectations regarding cleanliness and having guests over. -
Step 3: View the apartment.
-
Step 4: Check your credit.
-
Step 5: Ask if you can forego a security deposit.
-
Step 6: Get a roommate
-
Step 7: if necessary.
Detailed Guide
Looking for cheap rental options is a little like searching for a needle in a haystack.
However, there are cheap apartment rentals out there.
Check websites such as Rent.com.
A studio or a bedroom in someone’s house will probably be the cheapest to rent.
You might need a small place at first—really small.
In expensive cities, you might get a 100 square foot micro-studio for under $1,000.Also consider apartments in slightly shady neighborhoods.
Check neighborhood crime rates at www.neighborhoodscout.com.
Remember that your first home after a divorce doesn’t need to be your permanent home.
You might only need a temporary place to stay, e.g., for a month or so.
In some countries, such as Canada, a lease must be for at least 12 months.Your only option for short-term housing might be to stay in a hotel or motel.
Many national chains have extended-stay hotels.
Call and ask about rates.
Renting a hotel this way is more expensive than renting an apartment.
However, it’s more convenient if you need short-term housing. , Call up the landlord and ask to see the place.
No matter how desperate you are, you shouldn’t rent a place without first viewing it.
Some cheap apartments are unsanitary and unsafe.
Make sure the apartment is close to work or accessible by public transportation.
Check your cell phone reception.You can save money if you just use your cell phone and skip the landline.
Also confirm that there is enough water pressure.
Flush the toilet and turn on the taps. , More and more landlords are looking at people’s credit history before deciding to rent to them.
Pull your credit score and credit history.
If your score is low, try to clean up your credit history quickly.
There may be errors on your credit history that are pulling down your score.
For example, your ex-spouse’s debts might show up on your credit report, or accounts might wrongly be listed as in default.
Dispute any credit report errors.
It usually takes a couple months for inaccurate information to come off. , Landlords typically want a month’s rent as a security deposit to protect them in case you damage the apartment or skip out before the end of the lease.If you have good credit or a long rental history, you can ask the landlord if you can rent without paying a deposit.
If necessary, check whether you can put your rent on a credit card.
It’s not an ideal solution, but it will help you get a roof over your head.
You can pay the credit balance down once you get re-established. , Any apartment is cheaper if you have someone splitting the bills.
You can advertise for a roommate on websites such as Craigslist, though it is better if you know the person already.
Confirm that the lease allows you to have a roommate, because not all leases do.If you have to advertise, ask any potential roommate for references and one month’s security deposit.
Be very clear about your expectations regarding cleanliness and having guests over.
About the Author
Janet Ramos
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow crafts tutorials.
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