Thank you for your interest in one of our units. Our goal is to provide you with an exceptional place to live, for as long a time as possible. Our careful screening means a safer, quieter, and enjoyable place to live for you.
The Process
We’ve tried to make our process as efficient as possible, designed to get qualified prospects situated in their new home quickly, and with as little work as possible. Our application process is as follows:
- A pre-qualification application must be filled out. Then, over the phone, we will ask a series of questions to learn more about you, mainly to see if you are qualified for the unit you’re inquiring about. (see qualification standards below)
- If you pre-qualify then, we will set up a showing. We may ask you to drive by the apartment or house if you haven’t seen it, to be sure you find the area suitable. We don’t want to put time into the process only to find out that the building is too far from where you work, or other reason that can be quickly eliminated by a drive-by.
- After the showing, if you decide that you want the apartment, then a non-refundable holding deposit equal to one month’s rent is required. A holding deposit form must be completed.
- Additionally, after the showing, if you decide that you want the apartment, you must complete a rental application which will require that you pay for a credit and background check. It is vitally important that you fill out the application truthfully. This information will be checked. For example, if an applicant had had a bankruptcy in the past ten years, but answered “no”, we would automatically disqualify that applicant. Yet we would NOT necessarily disqualify the same applicant for the bankruptcy itself, had they answered honestly. So be certain you answer correctly. Some of the choices are simple “yes/no” but if an applicant even accidentally answers “no” when they meant to put “yes” we will have to assume they lied. This process is done through Apartments.com (https://apartments.com). There is a fee, paid for by the applicant, associated with this application to cover the cost of the background and credit checks.
- After the application is screened, and if everything checks out, then we call back to setup a lease signing, establish a move-in date.
Qualification Standards
To qualify to rent from us you must:
- Have earnings of at least 3 times the rent per month.
- For example: To qualify for an $1000/month apartment you would need your gross wages (before taxes and deductions) to be at least $3,000 per month.
- If you don’t qualify financially, you may be able to qualify by paying a higher security deposit, and/or having a co-signer who would qualify financially.
- Have full move-in funds.
- Security Deposit = 2 months rent
- We do not “work with” anyone on move-in funds.
- We feel that if someone cannot come up with the equivalent of first month’s rent and security deposit (and pet fees if applicable), they’re not ready to be responsible enough to pay their rent.
- Have had no evictions (FED) within 5 years. (This means full court eviction, not just being asked to leave).
- Have had no felonies within 5 years (Class A,B,C).
- Have had no more than 2 misdemeanors in 5 years (Class D,E).
- Have had no record of drug activity within past 5 years.
- Pets: Prefer no pets, but will accept on case by case basis. Dogs are not allowed. Additional NON REFUNDABLE $400 pet entrance fee and additional monthly rent premium of $40.
- In addition, we reserve the right to deny anyone residency, at our sole discretion, as allowed by state and federal law, if we feel that a prospect’s presence in our building might dissuade otherwise good prospects from renting from us or diminish the experience of existing or prospective tenants. This may include but not be limited to past crimes, regardless of nature or when committed.
More Questions? Please see our FAQ page, email us at leasing@thunderhillproperties.com or call the leasing office at (207) 370-0747
Again, thank you very much for considering us. We are focused on quality and want our buildings to become comfortable homes in which to live and raise families.