You’ve been searching for a rental for a while now, and have finally chosen the one you want. Many always ask, what’s next? What do we need to do to get the place? Many renters all have the same question. In this article, I will talk about the documents you should have handy when searching for a rental, as well as outline the basic process and steps.

There is a lot of competition in the Miami Beach rental market right now. As a tenant, it is important for you to be able to stand out in some way when submitting an offer on a place. If you just do the bare minimum, you risk looking like everyone else on paper, and being overlooked. A few things you should have handy when viewing potential rental units are the following:

1. Your checkbook! It is always necessary to put a deposit on your future place in order to secure it for you. So why ever see a place without it!

2. Your ID. A lot of times, it is customary to make a copy of a tenants ID for the landlord, and for the condo association.

3. Past and present employment and landlord information. This information will be crucial for any rental. Both landlord and condo association will need this info.

4. Contact info for at least 2 personal and 2 business references/contacts. Who are these people? They are friends or people that know you personally, and people who know you from work, or your past employers that will put in the good word for you.

5. Copy of your recent credit report. While your credit score may not always affect you getting a rental, it sometimes can and will be a factor in getting accepted. Some landlords put a large emphasis on credit, and will not accept tenants that do not meet a minimum score requirement. There are even some condo associations that require you to meet a minimum credit score. Of course, good credit is better than bad, but you can save yourself time if you know your credit score and history,

6. Paystubs or other proof of income. This one is almost always forgotten and overlooked. But, put yourself in the landlord’s position. Would you accept a tenant that cannot prove they make money? I think this one speaks for itself.

So now that we found a place, and we have every item on the checklist above, what comes next? The basic steps and timeline are as follows:

1. You will first submit a Contract to lease, which is a legal document stating who you are, your move in date and costs. It also contains the property address and outlines who is responsible for what (electricity payments, cable TV, waste management etc.)

2. Along with the contract to lease, your realtor will need to collect a deposit, usually in the amount equal to 1 months rent of the place you are applying for.

3. A copy of the contract to lease will then be submitted to the landlord. Your deposit check will go the real estate company’s escrow account until the deal closes, or if it falls through, then refunded back to you.

4. This is where the list from above comes in. If you have come prepared, and have all the items on the prior list, then a copy of all these things will be submitted with your contract to lease in order to strengthen your offer. This will show the landlord you are serious about getting the place, by putting all of your cards on the table. You are also saving yourself time, because most likely, they will ask for this info at some point anyhow.

Now the landlord has accepted your offer what now?

• Now, it is time to sign the lease

• Apply for the condo association (this entails filling out their complete application package, submitting it to the buildings managing agent along with any credentials they ask for, usually the things I mentioned at the start of this article!)

• The building will process your application. The timeframe for this can vary greatly. Some do it in as little as 24 hours; others can take up to 4 weeks! In general, expect the process to take 1-2 weeks.

• Once the building has approved your application, you are now ready to move in!

On move in day, you will then need to bring the rest of the move in monies (usually 2 additional months’ rent). This will always be payable in the form of a cashier’s check or money order. Your realtor will give you instructions on who the money will be payable to (usually the landlord directly, or a real estate or property management company). Now, you are finally done and moved in!

I know this process seems long and tedious, and it can be sometimes. But, if you come prepared with the checklist above, you can make as easy as possible for yourself and your realtor. I hope this helps, I always get a lot people asking about this process and I tried to explain it in depth as possible. If you still have questions about renting in Miami Beach, feel free to email me with any of your comments or questions. Until next time…..Thanks for reading.