Qualifying

As a company, we do business in accordance with the Federal Fair Housing Law and welcome Persons of all Race, Color, Religion, Sex, Handicap, Familial Status, or National Origin.

Important Notice — Protect Yourself from Rental Scams

For your protection, 1st Choice Property Management only accepts security deposit and rent payments in person at our office by certified funds (cashier’s check or money order).
We do not accept any form of payment online, over the phone, by wire transfer, Venmo, CashApp, Zelle, PayPal, or any other digital or mobile payment method.

If anyone asks you to send money electronically or meet elsewhere, it is a scam.
Please verify all information directly with our office before making any payments or signing documents.
Our team will never request payment before you have personally viewed the property and signed an official lease.

If you have NOT seen the property yet, please complete a showing before applying.

Please read the following policies. If you feel you meet the qualification guidelines, please submit an application. We DO process all applications received. If there are multiple applications, the most qualified application will be approved (ex. higher credit score, higher income, better rental history). The reason is that we have an obligation to the property owner to find the best qualified applicant. Incomplete applications will not be considered. If more than one person is applying with the applicant, both will need to be submitted at the same time. Our application process is not first come first serve. Our process is decided on best applicants and can take anywhere between 3-5 business days.

Application fees are ($85) as outlined in the property listing. In addition to this rental application, you will also be required to provide a copy of a valid form of identification and proof of income. Copy of valid identification must be in color. Temporary identification will not be accepted. You will have 24 to 48 hrs after submitting your application to provide all requested documentation or the application will be considered incomplete. Application fees are non refundable.

There will be a $99 Lease Renewal Fee upon every renewal of the lease.

The following is the APPLICANT CRITERIA: Including CREDIT CRITERIA, RENTAL HISTORY CRITERIA, INCOME CRITERIA, CRIMINAL CHECK and BACKGROUND POLICY and PET POLICY. By submitting your application, you are acknowledging that you have read and understand the CRITERIA and POLICIES.

APPLICANTS:

  1. Each person 18 years of age and older who will occupy the home, must complete an online application.
  2. Our residences are non-smoking properties (incl. garage space).
  3. Renters insurance is required to reside in our managed properties. This can be included in our Resident Benefit Package.

PROCESSING FEES:

There is a $85.00 non-refundable processing fee for each applicant. Applications are completed online.

CREDIT CRITERIA:

  1. Currently we use Experian to determine credit score and other reporting. Scores from other sources will not be accepted.
  2. We will obtain a credit report for each applicant. Reports supplied by applicants will not be accepted.
  3. If you have no credit score or the report shows an N/A, the application will be denied.
  4. If there is any debt owed to the Attorney General’s office for back child support, application will be denied.
  5. The deposit amount is scaled based on your actual credit score.
  6. If the credit score is under 500, the application will be denied.
  7. An open Federal Tax Lien will cause application denial.
  8. Bankruptcy status and age will determine if an application is accepted with increased deposit or denied.

RENTAL HISTORY CRITERIA: The following can be used for rejection or increased Security Deposit:

  1. Eviction, broken lease or judgment within the last 5 years is an automatic denial.
  2. Eviction or outstanding balances due to a previous landlord over 5 years old could have an increased deposit or denial.
  3. We do not take rental verifications from family members.
  4. Please make sure you have correct contact information for the landlord.
  5. Your rental history can affect the deposit amount — no rental history requires a double deposit.

INCOME CRITERIA:

  1. One person must meet or exceed gross income that is 3x the monthly rent.
  2. We will combine up to TWO gross monthly incomes which must meet or exceed 3.5x monthly rent (income must be from people occupying the home - WE DO NOT accept Guarantors.
  3. Income will be verified by the employer's HR department or, the prior month’s pay stubs with YTD calculation on check stub, to be provided with the application.
  4. 25% of child support will be taken into account for income.
  5. Self-employed applicants must attach 2 year’s worth of current tax returns - no exceptions. The AGI on your tax returns must reflect an amount that meets or exceeds the income requirement. Bank statements will ONLY be used to verify self-employed applicants along with tax returns.
  6. Unverifiable income will not be considered.

IDENTIFICATION:

-Photo ID and social security card must be provided at the time the lease application is submitted and they must be in color. We will not accept temporary IDs or social security cards.

CRIMINAL CHECK and BACKGROUND POLICY:

-A criminal background check will be run on every applicant. Felonies involving person or property convictions are cause for automatic rejection. Review the attached list of offenses that are cause for rejection. Your application authorizes 1st Choice Property Management to perform a Criminal Background check on you.

The following offenses are cause for automatic rejection:

  • Arson or Destruction of Property
  • Burglary
  • Indecency with a Child
  • Kidnapping
  • Lewd Behavior
  • Manslaughter
  • Murder
  • Molestation
  • Organized Crime
  • Prostitution
  • Rape
  • Robbery
  • Sale/Manufacture of Drugs
  • Sex Crimes
  • Stalking
  • Terrorism

Any other offense may be cause for rejection or for special provisions to be added to your lease, such as Bad Checks would be cause for us to not accept rent payment by check.

PET POLICY:

Our Pet Policy is as follows, and this is not an agreement to allow you to have a pet. A Pet Agreement must be in place before you bring a pet on the property. We have a policy of two pet maximum per household, and all pets must have current shots. When you apply to have a Pet Agreement, a current picture of the pet must be submitted, along with their shot records, when applying through petscreening.com. Once everything is submitted, it will generate a PAW SCORE. Your monthly pet fee will be based on the paw score. Their annual subscription starts at just $30 per pet.

The Pet Agreement is only good for that particular pet(s) and not for any subsequent pets.
Recommended Assistance Animals (i.e. service/emotional/companion/etc.) accommodation requests are NOT subject to pet deposits or pet fees.

We will not accept Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, Mastiffs, or any other breed that is considered aggressive. The yard must be picked up at least twice weekly. Fences will be maintained by the tenant to insure the pet remains in the yard. Pets will not be allowed loose outside of the backyard. No dogs will be allowed in a home that does not have a fenced yard.
Apply all Pets or fill out the (no Pet form) at: https://1stchoicepm.petscreening.com/
Pet Fee (Paid Monthly with Rent)

-Dogs and Cats: Based upon Paw Score

  • If an applicant has all 5 paws, $35 monthly fee per pet.
  • If an applicant has 4 paws, $45 monthly fee per pet.
  • If an applicant has 3 paws, $55 monthly fee per pet.
  • If an applicant has 2 paws, $65 monthly fee per pet.
  • If an applicant has 1 paw, $75 monthly fee per pet.

-Small pets $10 fee per month. Farm/Exoctic breed animals, case by case.
(Bird, Rabbit, hamster/gerbil/Guinea Pig, Reptile) (Fish Tank $10 per tank)

Tenant Insurance Requirements:

All Residents are required to maintain property damage liability insurance on behalf of the landlord and property manager.

There are two ways to satisfy this requirement:

  1. Enrolling in outside insurance coverage of your choosing.
  2. Opting into the 1st Choice Property Management Master Policy.
  • $100,000 Resident Liability Insurance Coverage Provided Under the 1st Choice Master Policy.
  • $20,000 Renter’s personal property including theft Provided Under the 1st Choice Master Policy.
  • $10,000 Bodily Injury Liability Protection Provided Under the 1st Choice Master Policy

Residents may OPT OUT of being enrolled in 1st Choice Property Management Resident Liability Insurance by providing written proof to the following three items PRIOR to the signing of this lease agreement:

  1. Evidence of Required Insurance levels to show the Policy is in effect, when it will start, when it will end, and who is named on the policy.
  2. 1st Choice Property Management must be named as an “Additional Insured” party to the insurance binder provided by the Resident.
  3. The Resident Liability coverage has to be equal to or greater than: *$100,000 in Resident Liability Coverage to the Property.

Failure to Maintain Insurance: If the Resident’s coverage for their self-directed Resident liability insurance is lapsed by either non-payment or non-renewal, 1st Choice Property Management will place that Resident under this program by default for an additional cost of $20 per month.

Resident Benefit Package

$35/mo (Insurance Opt-out) $55/mo (Insurance Opt-in) - Included with ALL 1st Choice Property Management Residential Agreements is a Resident Benefits Package.

***Resident Benefit Package is REQUIRED with all lease agreements with 1st Choice. Tenants Benefit Packages will be billed on a monthly basis.

Below is a list and description of the benefits included in this package. It will be advertised specifically for each property and included in all Lease Agreements.

CREDIT BUILDING:

Landlord provides credit reporting to cast positive payment history through a third-party service. Landlords are not responsible for any misrepresentation, erroneous reporting, and/or lack of reporting by the third-party service. Tenant understands that any disputes will be handled directly between Tenant and the third-party service.

GENERAL PEST CONTROL TREATMENT:

Preoccupancy general treatment of interior and perimeter wall exterior.

EASY ONLINE RESIDENT PORTAL:

Used for Payments, Electronic Statements and Maintenance Requests: You have 24/7 access to your Tenant Portal to submit maintenance requests, pay online using ECheck/ACH payment options only, as well as access to electronic documents.

UTILITY AND MAINTENANCE REDUCTION PROGRAM:

1st Choice Property Management will facilitate delivery of HVAC filters to the property every 60 days under the Utility & Maintenance Reduction Program. Residents shall properly install the filter that is provided within two (2) days of receipt. Resident hereby acknowledges that the filters will be dated and subject to inspection by the Landlord upon reasonable notice to verify replacement has been timely made. If at any time Resident is unable to properly or timely install a filter, Resident shall immediately notify Landlord in writing. Resident’s failure to properly and timely replace the filters is a material breach of this agreement and Landlord shall be entitled to exercise all rights and remedies it has against Resident and Resident shall be liable to Landlord for all damages to the property, A/C or heating system caused by Resident's neglect or misuse.

24hr MAINTENANCE HOTLINE:

Get Live Support for after hours, holidays and weekend emergency calls.

1 MISSED APPOINTMENT WAIVER:

We know things come up and appointments can be missed, avoid that missed appointment fee for 1 forgiveness. (Once Annually)

1 ACH/NSF REVERSAL WAIVER:

1st Choice Property Management will grant a one-time waiver of a returned ACH or Check payment fee. (Once Annually)

LATE PAY FORGIVENESS:

Good for use once Annually (5 days max forgiveness, Once Annually)

NO COST BATTERY REPLACEMENT:

On Smoke Alarms, CO2 Detectors and HVAC Control Unit. If you hear your detectors beeping due to low battery, give us a call and we will get you taken care of.

We are Partnered with FLEX:

You can now split rent into smaller, more manageable payments.

Home Buying Assistance:

1st Choice PM is a Licensed Real Estate Brokerage and offers buyer representation services and referrals to residents enrolled in the Resident Benefits Package for the purchase of real property. Compensation and detail of such services shall be agreed upon in a separate Agreement outside of this Lease.

CONDITION OF MOVE-IN:

All utility accounts must be transferred into the residents’ name as of the date of possession. We will have canceled all utility service by the move in date.

If, after reading the above and reviewing our Credit, Rental, Income, Criminal and Pet Criteria, you consider yourself qualified under these guidelines, please understand the following:
We will not process your application without the correct funds and all documentation being submitted together. Your application will be held in an incomplete status or denied.

Once we notify you that your application has been approved, you will have TWO business days to bring the full Security Deposit in secured funds to our office and sign the lease or we will move on to the next qualified applicant. Only Cashier's Checks, or Money Orders will be accepted.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE CALL US AT 817-281-1300.