How to Rent a Home in Dallas, Texas When Your Credit Is Not Good

Renting a home in Dallas, Texas, with poor credit can be challenging. Potential landlords may fear that you will not pay your rent on time and become a candidate for eviction. Fortunately, there are ways to address such concerns. A reputable credit and housing counselor in Dallas can help you improve your credit score and tell you how to explain your past credit problems. Depending on your circumstances, the counselor may also recommend government-sponsored home rental programs in Dallas with flexible credit guidelines, such as the Dallas County Health and Human Services Section 8 program for people with low-to-moderate incomes.

Instructions

1

Examine your credit report and score. Obtain the credit report from AnnualCreditReport.com. The website is the only site authorized by the federal government to offer free reports under the terms of the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Visit the site to print your report. Then order your credit score separately, for a fee.

2

Make an appointment in Dallas with a government-certified credit and housing counselor. Check the website for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for a counselor in Dallas. Examples include Consumer Credit Counseling Services of Greater Dallas, with locations in the city and the suburbs. The counselors specialize in many issues related to housing. For example, a credit counselor can review your credit report the way that a landlord would. A consultation with a housing counselor can help you understand challenges you may face trying to rent with poor credit -- and how to overcome them.

3

Show your credit report and score to the counselor. Tell her about your income and expenses, such as child care. Explain your desire to rent a home in Dallas and your concerns about your credit.

4

Improve your credit -- if you have the means to do so -- by following the advice of the counselor. Possibilities include making payments to bring past-due accounts current or paying off outstanding debts being held by debt collection companies.

5

Contact a real estate agent specializing in residential property management in Dallas. Seek referrals from your counselor, a mortgage loan officer at your bank or credit union, or from public and private agencies such as the North Texas Housing Coalition or Urban League of Greater Dallas. Tell the real estate agent about your past credit problems and how much you can afford to spend on rent. Use advice you received from the credit and housing counselor to explain the current state of your credit and finances. Ask the real estate agent to show you rental homes owned by landlords with flexible credit guidelines. Government-sponsored Section 8 housing -- in apartments, single family homes or other housing units -- might be another option. However as of December 2010 there was a closed waiting list for applicants in Dallas with no indication of when it would reopen. For current availability on the waiting list contact the Dallas County Housing Agency at 214-819-1871.

6

Apply to rent a home in Dallas by filling out the application. Compensate for your past credit problems, if necessary, by offering to pay double the required deposit, along with the first month's rent. This could show the landlord that your finances really are secure and improve your chances for approval.