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Renting an apartment ASAP?

So, there's no need to pay a deposit when checking-in at an extended-stay hotel? I assume they don't check your credit history either.
 
s.brody said:
So, there's no need to pay a deposit when checking-in at an extended-stay hotel? I assume they don't check your credit history either.
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No, but like a normal hotel they require a credit card to guarantee the reservation. Like most other US hotels you can cancel the booking without penalty up to 24 hours ahead - another plus for the flexibility! They may put a hold for a certain amount on your card when you check in to cover the stay - I don't know if they do or if it differs by chain, but again this is common hotel practice.
 
s.brody said:
So, there's no need to pay a deposit when checking-in at an extended-stay hotel? I assume they don't check your credit history either.
Click to expand...

True they won't do a credit check, although they will generally want a credit card and may take a hefty deposit (usually a pre-authorization) on that. For an immigrant that is often problematic as the only credit card they will have is the "old country" credit cards which might have lower limits than needed. You can negotiate to pay some in cash as you go to reduce the amount they actually charge you and if you can obtain a US based credit card that might be be a way to pay the bill also to avoid them actually charging to your "old" credit card.
 
s.brody said:
So, there's no need to pay a deposit when checking-in at an extended-stay hotel? I assume they don't check your credit history either.
Click to expand...
I had a very bad experience with the same story, because I got stuck in chicago, I had to stay in the hotels for three days, every time I checked in they asked me for a deposit or credit card or debit card, but because I didnt have any acc, I use to pay 50usd , until I got to hear that one hotel in chicago, doesn't accept cash!
Apparently itwas the hotel policy, I took all their details and I told them, that im going to sue them soon or later......
 
I haven't had any experience with extended stay hotels but I have rented three new york apartments in my time. When I was a student and a new arrival with no income and no credit history I had to pay a large chunk of my yearly rent up front for my first apartment! Ouch! Note also with little credit history you may be asked to pay an additional security deposit. Successfully renting an apartment in the U.S. is so much easier once you have a job, so staying in an extended stay apartment or subletting privately through craigslist (be aware of scams though) is probably the best way to go until you've got a job and your potential landlord is comfortable you will be able to pay your rent on time and in full for the entirety of your 12 month lease.

Note also for people looking to move to NYC most apartments are "broker fee" apartments where you must utilize the services of a broker and you have to pay between 10- 15% of the annual rent to the broker to have them show you apartments and then organize and advocate for you to rent the apartment you choose (this may not be a bad idea for some people especially if English isn't your first language and you would like someone to negotiate with the landlord on your behalf). You can also find "No fee" apartments where there is no broker fee and you deal directly with the landlord. There are fewer of these available but they can be found. If you want to use a broker get a referral. There are some very good and honest brokers and very bad and dishonest brokers in NYC.

When you apply for an apartment they will do a credit check using your SSN (even if you don't have a credit history in the US) and will want to see pay stubs, bank statements, references and other financial and identification documents. If you're approved you'll generally have to pay first month's rent and a 1 month security deposit (some also ask you to pay last month's rent as well and an extra deposit if you have pets) and the broker fee (if you used a broker) upfront before you get the keys. You will pay by cashier's checks from a US bank.

Moral of the story is...save your pennies people. Personally I would rent an apartment that is cheaper than you can afford at first. Live conservatively for the first few years and then upgrade to something better. Trust me- this move will cost you more than you think. Just my $0.02.
 
vladek15425 said:
I had a very bad experience with the same story, because I got stuck in chicago, I had to stay in the hotels for three days, every time I checked in they asked me for a deposit or credit card or debit card, but because I didnt have any acc, I use to pay 50usd , until I got to hear that one hotel in chicago, doesn't accept cash!
Apparently itwas the hotel policy, I took all their details and I told them, that im going to sue them soon or later......
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Lol, you started turning american very quickly :rolleyes: :D
 
IheartNY said:
I haven't had any experience with extended stay hotels but I have rented three new york apartments in my time. When I was a student and a new arrival with no income and no credit history I had to pay a large chunk of my yearly rent up front for my first apartment! Ouch! Note also with little credit history you may be asked to pay an additional security deposit. Successfully renting an apartment in the U.S. is so much easier once you have a job, so staying in an extended stay apartment or subletting privately through craigslist (be aware of scams though) is probably the best way to go until you've got a job and your potential landlord is comfortable you will be able to pay your rent on time and in full for the entirety of your 12 month lease.

Note also for people looking to move to NYC most apartments are "broker fee" apartments where you must utilize the services of a broker and you have to pay between 10- 15% of the annual rent to the broker to have them show you apartments and then organize and advocate for you to rent the apartment you choose (this may not be a bad idea for some people especially if English isn't your first language and you would like someone to negotiate with the landlord on your behalf). You can also find "No fee" apartments where there is no broker fee and you deal directly with the landlord. There are fewer of these available but they can be found. If you want to use a broker get a referral. There are some very good and honest brokers and very bad and dishonest brokers in NYC.

When you apply for an apartment they will do a credit check using your SSN (even if you don't have a credit history in the US) and will want to see pay stubs, bank statements, references and other financial and identification documents. If you're approved you'll generally have to pay first month's rent and a 1 month security deposit (some also ask you to pay last month's rent as well and an extra deposit if you have pets) and the broker fee (if you used a broker) upfront before you get the keys. You will pay by cashier's checks from a US bank.

Moral of the story is...save your pennies people. Personally I would rent an apartment that is cheaper than you can afford at first. Live conservatively for the first few years and then upgrade to something better. Trust me- this move will cost you more than you think. Just my $0.02.
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I hearty,
Glad to see you around !
And yes me too I had to pay extra deposit for the apt, since my wife doesn't have credit history, because she applied for it..
 
Britsimon said:
The GC is not the problem, the SSN does make it harder. You can do it, but you might have to pay more deposit and so on. Even with higher deposit it is risky for the landlord to accept someone without credit history. A neighbour of mine had tenants that he gave a break to because their credit scores weren't great, but he took a risk on them because they seemed nice. They stopped paying the rent after 2 months and because of the legal eviction process here it took almost 4 months to get them out and they had by that that time trashed the house. So, landlords will take some convincing.
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Thanks for the information, understood that. nearly stay at 1month in a hotel (long stay base) how much will it cost
 
NAV2014 said:
Thanks for the information, understood that. nearly stay at 1month in a hotel (long stay base) how much will it cost
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The cost of hotels varies on area and of course the standard of the hotel. However, you can always guess that extended stay hotels will cost a bit more than apartments rentals, so if you could rent an apartment for 1000 per month the hotel version might be 1500. Around my area extended stay hotels will cost around 4k per month.
 
vladek15425 said:
I hearty,
Glad to see you around !
And yes me too I had to pay extra deposit for the apt, since my wife doesn't have credit history, because she applied for it..
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I hope you realize that your LPR status is now completely independent of your wife's regardless of the fact that she was the main selectee?
 
Sm1smom said:
I hope you realize that your LPR status is now completely independent of your wife's regardless of the fact that she was the main selectee?
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Yes mom, im now free like a bird :)
The thing is my friend rented the place on hid name and he only added her name on the lease.....
 
IheartNY said:
Hi Vladdy! Yes I lurk from time to time. Hopefully I'll be back full-time after May next year having won a ticket in DV16 with a number of 2016OC00000001. :p Fingers crossed for meeeeeee!!
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Hearty, you have all my best wishes on earth and heaven :)
Hope you are done with you lawyer studies, because I need to sue one hotel in chicago :D
 
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