Finding a Place to Live

[lookatthedonutnotthehole]

Hi,

 

I am a grad student and right now I am commuting to school from 2 hours away.  I know crazy right?  Well I need to find a place closer to school to live and initially I thought I could just save up a bunch of cash, quit my job, and move down there.  But I am starting to realize that the area I want to move to is really popular and there is a lot of competition for places to live.  I have awesome credit, but when I move down there I won't have a job. 

 

Do you think any places would rent to me without a job?  Or should I quit my job here, find a job in new town first, then move?  I have plenty of money saved up to cover rent for at least a year, but my impression is that landlords and rental properties want regular people with regular jobs, nothing weird or sketchy.  I thought my grad student status would help me but the one agent I spoke with so far suggested that I find a job first.  Would it be wrong to lie and use my current job as income when applying for places to rent? 

 

Also to throw another wrench in the plan, I have 2 dogs and a boyfriend coming with me so I can't just rent a room in a dorm or shack up with a bunch of other students.  I was thinking maybe I could get a work study job at the school or a fellowship, but I declined that option for the 2014-2015 year...

[geographyrocks]

What I think I would end up doing is using pay stubs from my current job.  It's been my experience that the only places that will rent to you without needing proof of income are places that you don't want to live. 

[TakeruK]

Bring pay stubs from your current job. Don't mention that you will be leaving that job unless they ask you directly. Most places only care about your current income at time of application, not future income.

 

Also, is your grad program funded? If so, landlords has always accepted my offer letters that say $X/year as proof of income (no pay stubs needed)! I would not mention your graduate student status unless you are using your offer letter or similar document to provide proof of income.