Blog Post

At Associates Realty Services, Inc., we screen every prospective tenant 18 years of age and older to ensure fair, consistent, and responsible placement for both owners and residents. Our screening process is designed to answer two critical questions:

The ability to pay focuses on whether the applicant has sufficient and stable income to support the rent. We typically look for:

• Gross monthly income of at least 3× the rent
• A reasonable debt-to-income (DTI) ratio
• Verifiable income from acceptable sources

High income alone does not guarantee approval if excessive debt obligations indicate financial strain.

The willingness to pay is evaluated primarily through the applicant’s credit history and payment patterns.

• We generally prefer a minimum credit score of 650
• Scores below 650 are reviewed on a case-by-case basis

When credit scores fall below our preferred threshold, we examine:

• Why the score is lower
• Length and consistency of credit history
• Payment patterns over time
• Whether financial issues appear isolated or ongoing

We understand that life events happen. Our goal is to distinguish between temporary hardship and chronic nonpayment behavior.

The application includes several direct questions regarding rental history, financial obligations, and background information. It is essential that all answers are truthful and complete. Providing inaccurate or misleading information—or answering “no” to questions that later prove to be untrue—may negatively impact your application and could result in denial.

Certain issues significantly increase the risk of nonpayment and may result in disapproval:

• Owing Money to a Prior Landlord- If an applicant has open collections or unpaid balances owed to a previous landlord and does not provide written proof of payment or an active repayment agreement, the application is typically denied. If a prospect has been comfortable owing money to a prior landlord, it raises serious concerns about future rent collections.
• Multiple Utility or Service Collections- Applicants with multiple unpaid accounts—such as utilities, phone providers, cable services, or other recurring obligations—may indicate a pattern of nonpayment rather than a one-time financial issue. High balances across multiple service providers are a strong predictor of future payment problems.
• Excessive Open Credit Lines- Applicants with numerous open credit lines and high revolving balances may present increased financial risk—even when income appears strong on paper. While high income can indicate current stability, excessive credit utilization suggests that much of that income is already committed. If an unexpected event occurs—such as a medical issue, car accident, job disruption, or family emergency—the applicant may have limited financial flexibility to continue paying rent consistently. For this reason, high income combined with heavy ongoing credit usage may negatively impact an application.
• Prior Evictions or Recent Housing Instability Evictions or frequent moves, especially when recent, may indicate an increased risk of lease default.

Tenant screening is not about perfection—it’s about predictability and risk management. Our process is designed to protect property owners while placing residents who are positioned to succeed throughout their tenancy. In certain situations, we may approve an application with additional risk-mitigation measures, such as a higher security deposit, when permitted by law. This allows qualified applicants an opportunity to move forward while appropriately managing owner risk. Clear, consistently applied standards lead to stable tenancies, fewer evictions, and better outcomes for everyone involved.