Minimum Requirements

1. All Lease Signatories Must Personally Visit the Property & Approve Its Condition

Anyone who will be allowed to or required to sign the lease must personally visit the property and approve its condition before the Broker will prepare and present a Lease for signature. This policy applies to both spouses of a married couple and/or both members of an unmarried couple. Viewing by a third party, including a Real Estate Agent, friend, family member or viewing by video conference, will not be accepted by the Broker in lieu of personal visit by all Signatories.

2. Minimum Criteria For Lease Application Approval

The minimum requirements for Lease Application Approval are property specific and can be found in the online advertising for each property.

For debt to income ratios that are slightly over the requirement the rounding rule shall be any percentage equal to or less than 0.4% over shall be rounded down and considered qualifying.

The Broker will not accept a copy of the Applicant’s Credit Report emailed by the Applicant.

Application Qualification Standards

Any Rental Applicant that qualifies under the Schedule A Standard is also approvable for Rental Properties listed under the Schedule B or Schedule C Standards. However, this does not constitute a variable fee agreement with the Owner. If an Owner contracts under a Schedule B or Schedule C Standard and a Schedule A Applicant is placed, the Owner will still pay the contracted fee.

These standards are effective for properties listed after May 6, 2026 and may not perfectly agree with the current online advertising for properties listed prior to May 6, 2026.

3. Paying Off Delinquencies Prior to Applying

The Applicant is encouraged to review their consumer credit report prior to submitting an application to confirm that they meet the applicable delinquency limit requirements.

Delinquency limits vary by property classification as follows: Schedule A properties have a delinquency limit of $0; Schedule B properties have a delinquency limit of $2,500; and Schedule C properties have a delinquency limit of $5,000. These classifications are applied consistently based on the property’s rental criteria.

Any outstanding delinquencies must be resolved in full prior to application submission in order to be considered in compliance with the applicable delinquency limit. Verification of payment must be completed exclusively through the Broker’s designated third-party screening provider, Snappt, using direct bank account linking to obtain current transaction data.

Payment of a delinquency will only be considered if the transaction is clearly and directly attributable to the corresponding creditor or lender within the linked bank data. Transfers, cash withdrawals, or payments that cannot be reliably matched to a specific creditor will not be considered as satisfying a delinquency.

If the Applicant is unable to provide bank account data through Snappt due to limitations of their financial institution or lack of compatible online banking access, the delinquency will be considered outstanding for screening purposes and will not be eligible for pre-application resolution through alternative documentation.

All applications are evaluated based solely on the information available at the time the application is submitted and screened through the Broker’s approved verification systems. The Broker does not accept supplemental documentation, updated information, or subsequent changes to an Applicant’s financial condition after the application has been submitted for the purpose of altering or influencing the screening outcome.

This policy is applied uniformly to all Applicants to ensure consistent and equitable evaluation standards in accordance with the Fair Housing Act.

4. Cosigner Minimum Requirements for Lease Application Approval

A proposed Cosigner must meet all of the following minimum requirements:

1. At least a 740 credit score.
2. At least a 4-to-1 recurring gross income-to-rent ratio, or verified cash and/or liquid assets equal to at least 10 times the annual rent. A liquid asset is defined as an asset that can be converted to cash within several days without penalty. All liquid assets must be subject to verification through Snappt.
3. No more than a 36% debt-to-gross-income ratio.
4. $0 delinquencies.
5. The Cosigner must be personal and not corporate.
6. The Cosigner must be subject to valid service of process and collection enforcement in Alabama, as determined by management.

5. Unemployed Individuals may qualify to Prepay Rent with conditions

• Documentation of at least 10x the annual rent in liquid assets. Liquid assets are cash or financial resources that can be quickly converted into cash, typically within a few days, without losing significant value. Documentation of Crypto Currency is not acceptable.
• 740 minimum credit score.
• $0 in delinquent accounts.

6. Credit Evaluation Policy

The Broker’s standard procedure is to obtain and review full consumer credit reports from all three national credit reporting agencies—TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian—including each bureau’s respective FICO® Score 8.

For purposes of lease application evaluation, the highest FICO® Score 8 obtained from the three bureaus will be used as the Applicant’s primary qualifying credit score, provided the score is derived from a valid consumer reporting source and reflects the Applicant’s credit profile at the time of application.

Credit scores may vary between bureaus due to differences in reported data and methodologies. Accordingly, no single score is determinative of creditworthiness.

In all cases, the Broker evaluates credit as part of a broader risk assessment, placing primary emphasis on objective financial indicators, including but not limited to:

• Debt-to-Income ratio
• Income-to-Rent ratio
• Presence, severity, and recency of delinquent accounts
• Payment history and overall credit behavior
• Outstanding obligations and overall financial capacity

Notwithstanding the use of the highest qualifying score, Applicants must meet the Broker’s minimum credit standards. If none of the FICO® Score 8 credit scores obtained meet the minimum qualifying requirement, the application will be declined.

The Broker does not selectively disregard lower scores, alter scoring methods, or make case-by-case adjustments outside of this defined process.

A credit score obtained through third-party services, including but not limited to Rently, is not used for lease application approval and does not indicate that an Applicant will qualify.

All screening criteria are applied consistently and uniformly to every Applicant in accordance with applicable laws, including the Fair Housing Act.

These standards are effective for properties listed after May 2, 2026 and may not perfectly agree with the current online advertising for properties listed prior to May 2, 2026.

7. No-Score Exception Policy

The Broker evaluates creditworthiness using consumer credit reports and associated credit scores obtained from one or more national credit reporting agencies. Applicants are generally required to meet a minimum qualifying credit score as part of the standard screening criteria.

However, the Broker recognizes that certain Applicants may not have a current credit score due to the complete payoff of prior debt obligations.

An Applicant may be considered under the No-Score / Debt-Free Profile standard if all of the following conditions are met:

1. No Active Debt Obligations
   The credit report reflects no open tradelines or revolving/installation debt, and the Applicant’s Debt-to-Income ratio is effectively 0%.
2. Verifiable Prior Credit History
   The credit report demonstrates a prior history of credit usage with accounts that have been paid in full and closed in good standing.
3. Satisfactory Payment History
   There are no delinquent accounts, charge-offs, collections, judgments, or similar adverse credit events within the most recent 36 months.
4. No Evidence of Thin or Insufficient Credit File
   The credit profile must reflect a meaningful history of prior credit activity. Applicants with limited, newly established, or insufficient credit history (“thin files”) will not qualify under this exception.
5. Income and Financial Capacity Requirements Met
   The Applicant must meet or exceed all income-to-rent ratio and other financial qualification requirements established by the Broker.

Applicants who meet all of the above criteria may be approved without a qualifying credit score. If these conditions are not fully satisfied, and no qualifying credit score is present, the application will be declined.

All criteria are applied consistently and uniformly to every Applicant in accordance with the Fair Housing Act.

These standards are effective for properties listed after April 26, 2026 and may not perfectly agree with the current online advertising for properties listed prior to April 26, 2026.

8. Student Loan Debt to Income Calculation

When an Applicant has deferred student loans or loans in forbearance and the monthly payment amount is not disclosed on the credit report then the Broker will use the Fannie Mae guideline of 0.5% of the outstanding student loan balance as the monthly payment to use for the calculation of the Applicant’s Debt to Income Ratio.

9. The Broker Acknowledges No Duty or Obligation to Accept Documents from the Applicant or Third Parties Commenting on Information Currently Showing in the Applicant’s Credit and Background Report

The Applicant’s credit report, background report, or credit history (“Credit Report”) may show debts and or other negative information upon which the Broker bases a decision to deny Applicant’s Application. Applicant is responsible for ensuring that Applicant’s Credit Report accurately reflects the information relative to Applicant at the time the Application is submitted. Broker cannot and will not receive or consider information contrary to or challenging debts and or other negative entries on Applicant’s Credit Report, either prior to or after Broker makes a decision on Applicant’s Application and submits an Adverse Action Notice. Applicant understands that Broker will refer only to the Credit Report in reviewing Applicant’s Application and will not receive or consider documentation outside of the Credit Report.

Mortgages will be included in the Debt to Income Calculation prior to closing and the updating of the Applicant’s Credit Report. The Broker acknowledges no duty to the Applicant to assume the sale of a property, a closing will or has taken place and or that a Credit Report Updating will take place.

In the event Applicant disagrees with information reflected on Applicant’s Credit Report, Applicant may refer to applicable federal law regarding Applicant’s ability to challenge or correct Applicant’s Credit Report by challenging specific debts and or other negative information with the Credit Reporting Agencies or prior creditors. Broker is not an attorney, is not offering legal advice, and suggests that Applicant consult with an attorney regarding Applicant’s rights to challenge negative information on the Credit Report. More information may be found here.

10. Rental Arbitrage, Sub-leasing, Assignment, etc. is Strictly Prohibited

Tenant shall not sublet, under-lease, sub-rent, sub-lease, offer rooms for rent, or otherwise take on occupants not identified in this Lease. Tenant shall not offer any portion of the premises for a sublease by placing on the same any “to rent”, “furnished room”, “room to rent”, or similar sign or notice or by advertising the same in any newspaper, on any short-term rental website such as VRBO or AirBnB, or any place or manner whatsoever. Any arrangement listed above or any other transfer or assignment of this lease, shall be null and void at the option of the Landlord. Tenant agrees that the breach of this provision shall be considered a material noncompliance with the terms of this lease, entitling Landlord to deliver written notice to terminate this lease pursuant to Alabama law.

11. Lease Start Dates

Lease start dates are always the 1st day of the next calendar month. The exception to this rule is that on or about the 23rd of each month (when there is not enough time remaining to process an application) then the Broker will begin to consider lease start dates to begin on the 1st day of the month after next.

12. Properties may be Temporarily Taken Off the Market in Certain Situations

The time between when an Application is deemed “approvable” by the Broker and the Lease is signed can be several days. In order to avoid receiving Applications while the Lease is pending signature, the Broker may discontinue advertising for a property.

13. About Pending, Active and or Recently Discharged Bankruptcies

Applicants presenting an Application while a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy is pending will be automatically declined. Applicants presenting an Application with an active Chapter 13 Bankruptcy will be automatically declined. Applicants presenting an Application who have recently had a Chapter 7 or a Chapter 13 discharged will not automatically be declined, but must meet the minimum Lease Application approval requirements, including having the advertised minimum required Credit Score.

14. About Evictions & Repossessions

Applicants applying with evictions and or repossessions in their history will be automatically declined by the Broker. The term “eviction” shall refer to, but not be limited to unlawful detainer, ejectment, forcible entry, etc.

15. Authorized User Policy aka “Piggybacking”

When an individual is made an Authorized User on another individual’s credit card or revolving credit account their credit score may be positively affected if the Primary Cardholder has good or excellent credit. Individuals with good credit sell Authorized User access to their credit cards and revolving credit accounts commercially and the practice is sometimes referred to as “piggybacking”. The Broker is aware that piggybacking is legal, but the Broker and other lenders consider this to be a deceptive practice. When a review of the Applicant’s credit report reveals that 33% or more of the Applicant’s total credit card limit and or revolving credit limit is supplied by being an Authorized User on another individual’s credit card(s) and or revolving credit account(s) and that individual is not a spouse, then the Broker will automatically decline the Application and issue an Adverse Action Notice and depending on the circumstances the Broker may also issue a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) “Red Flag” Notice.

16. Citizen or Legal Resident

All Applicants must be legal residents of the United States. All Applicants will be asked if they are a United States Citizen, a permanent resident alien, a non-permanent resident alien, or an illegal alien. If the Applicant declares they are a permanent or non-permanent resident alien, they must provide supporting documents. If the Applicant fails to provide the required proof, then their Application will be declined. If the Applicant declares that they are an illegal alien, then their Application will be declined.

17. US Credit Scores Required

All Applicants must have a credit report and a qualifying Credit Score.

There are two exceptions to this rule. (1) When one member of a married couple individually qualifies on the credit and income requirements and the other spouse does not have a credit report, then the Broker will make an exception to this rule. When both spouses have a credit report each must have a qualifying Credit Score. (2) When a Foreign National who is an employee of a multinational corporation is transferred to the Birmingham Area and does not have a US Credit File then the Broker will consider leasing to this individual provided the following conditions are met:

1. The Corporation that employs the Foreign National or a third party, such as a relocation agency, agrees to guarantee the lease.
2. The Corporation that employs the Foreign National or a third party, such as a relocation agency, must be registered with the Alabama Secretary of State.
3. The Corporation that employs the Foreign National or a third party, such as a relocation agency, affirms in writing that the subject individual does not have a US Credit File.
4. The Foreign National Employee agrees to provide their Passport and a TIN, ITIN or SSN that is current (not pending or expired).
5. The Foreign National Employee agrees to sign a Consent to a Credit Check and Background Investigation in order to confirm that there is no US Credit File.
6. The Corporation that employs the Foreign National or a third party, such as a relocation agency, that will guarantee the lease must have a business credit report available to be purchased online by the Broker.
7. The Corporation Guaranteeing the lease must be rated in Dun & Bradstreet and have at least a 5A1 rating.
8. Relocation Agencies are required to provide the engagement, retention, or services agreement with the Corporations they represent.
9. The Broker will hold the Security Deposit.

18. Demonstrating Financial Capacity to Pay Rent

The demonstration of financial capacity to pay rent is based on the declaration and documentation of recurring income. For the purposes of this disclosure, recurring income is defined as including but not limited to: employment income, self-employment income, Social Security Benefits, Disability Benefits, required distributions from Retirement Accounts, Dividends, Alimony, Child Support, etc. Voluntary withdrawals from Retirement Accounts are NOT considered recurring income.

19. Documentation Requirements for W-2 Employed Applicants

For the purposes of this disclosure, Employed Applicants shall be defined as individuals who receive a W-2.

A. Minimum Requirements for Lease Application Approval include but are not limited to:

1. Single Applicants and or Joint Applicants must declare qualifying recurring income or the Broker will reject the application without pulling the credit report.
2. Single Applicants and or Joint Applicants must document qualifying recurring income or the Broker will reject the application without pulling the credit report.
3. Employed Applicants must provide IRS Tax Transcripts for the most recent filing period and previous filing period. If the Applicant did not file with the IRS for either tax filing period and/or filed an extension for either tax filing period the Broker will decline the application. In situations where the Applicant claims they did not file with the IRS, for any reason, the Broker will require them to provide a “Verification of non-filing letter”.
4. Employed Applicants must provide their most recent pay stub showing their year to date gross income and itemized deductions.
5. All income information provided by the Applicant must be verifiable through 2 months of checking account bank statements.

B. Conditions that can Cause Your Lease Application to be Declined include but are not limited to:

1. If your employment is inconsistent and or irregular it may cause your Application to be declined.
2. Gaps in your employment history may cause your Application to be declined.
3. If you have had 3 or more Employers within the previous 12 months it may cause your Application to be declined.
4. If your employment is classified or offered as “Temporary” it may cause your Application to be declined.
5. A history of income in a declining industry may cause your application to be declined.
6. Providing a pay stub or any payment documentation that does not include year to date gross income and itemized deductions may cause your Application to be declined.
7. The Broker will not accept employment income information from mobile payment services such as Google Pay, Cash App, Venmo, Apple Pay, etc.

20. Self-Employed Income Verification Disclosure

If the Applicant is self-employed, income must be verified through a third-party screening service, including but not limited to Snappt, using bank account data and/or bank statements sufficient for the Broker to reasonably calculate the Applicant’s Net Income to Rent Ratio. The minimum required Net Income to Rent Ratio is 2.5 to 1. If business and personal funds are commingled in one or more accounts and the Broker cannot clearly and reliably distinguish business revenue from personal deposits and business expenses from personal expenditures, the income will be deemed unverifiable and will not be considered for qualification. The Broker assumes no obligation to accept written or verbal explanations from the Applicant regarding the nature of deposits or expenses, and any inability to verify income to the required standard will result in the application being declined.

Additional Income Documentation Limitation

The Broker does not accept CPA-prepared, compiled, or unaudited financial statements, letters, or certifications as verification of income, including but not limited to documents derived from Applicant-supplied tax returns, tax transcripts, or financial records. Such documents are not considered independently verifiable and do not meet the Broker’s income verification standards. Income must be verified solely through the methods described above, and any documentation that does not meet these standards will not be considered.

21. IRS Letter Required in Certain Situations

In the situation where an Applicant(s) only recurring income is Social Security and the Applicant is not required to file income tax returns, then the Broker will require a Verification of Non-Filing Letter from the IRS.

22. Who is Required to Present a Joint Application

Both spouses of married couples must submit a Lease Application. Both members of an unmarried couple may present a joint application.

23. Family Members Who are not Spouses Cannot Combine Income

Family members who are not spouses cannot combine income in order to qualify on the annual income requirement for lease application approval.

24. The Broker Requires Both Spouses to Apply when a Divorce is Pending

It is the Broker’s understanding that until and unless a pending divorce is adjudicated that the assets and liabilities of the Marital Estate may be connected. Therefore the Broker has a duty to calculate the Debt to Income Ratio of the spouses together. The Broker cannot do this without seeing the soon to be ex-spouses credit report. The Broker cannot reasonably assume that the Applicant will be in a position to pay the rent before the divorce is finalized. Therefore the Broker shall require the non-occupying spouse to sign a Cosigner Agreement.

The above is not set forth as legal advice. The Broker is not an Attorney. If you have any questions or concerns about your rights and responsibilities concerning residential leasing if you are in the process of obtaining a divorce, please consult with an Attorney.

25. Application Processing Policy

The Broker does not render an approve or decline decision based on the order of when applications are submitted, he renders those decisions based on the order of when they are completed. Properties are not put on hold when an application is submitted.

26. No Roommates

The Broker does not lease to Roommates. For the purpose of this disclosure the term “Roommate” shall refer to two or more unrelated adults. It does not refer to two individuals presenting as an unmarried couple.

27. No More than One Family per Home

For the purpose of this disclosure, a “family” shall be defined as a group residing together and consisting of parents, children, and other relatives by blood or marriage. The Broker and the Landlord retain the right of freedom of contract to lease with whomever we want as long as it is not for a discriminatory reason against a protected class. Two or more families residing in one home are not a protected class. It shall be the Broker’s policy not to rent to more than one family per residence.

28. Background Reports

In addition to the Broker pulling Applicants’ credit reports, the Broker will also pull background reports, including but not limited to, nationwide criminal history reports, on all Applicants and on all occupants age 19 and older. Occupants 19+ years old who are not Applicants will be required to sign a consent form and pay a $48.50 fee.

The Broker may review criminal conviction history as part of the rental application process. A criminal record does not automatically disqualify an Applicant. The Broker will consider whether the record shows a current or recent risk to the health, safety, or peaceful enjoyment of residents, staff, guests, vendors, or the property.

The Broker will not deny an application based solely on an arrest that did not result in conviction, dismissed charges, sealed or expunged records, juvenile records, minor traffic offenses, or criminal history that is not reasonably related to tenancy, resident safety, property safety, or lease compliance.

The Broker may deny an application based on a conviction or pending charge only after considering the nature and severity of the offense, the age of the offense, the Applicant’s age at the time, the time elapsed since conviction or release, the Applicant’s rental history since the offense, evidence of rehabilitation, completion of sentence or supervision, and any additional information provided by the Applicant.

The following records may result in denial if they fall within the applicable review period and are reasonably related to tenancy, safety, or property protection:

Category	Review period
Felony conviction involving homicide, sexual assault, kidnapping, human trafficking, or other serious violent offense	10 years, or longer only with legal review
Conviction requiring current sex-offender registration	Legal review required; for HUD-assisted housing, special mandatory rules may apply
Felony conviction involving arson, explosives, burglary, robbery, weapons violence, or serious property destruction	7 years
Felony conviction involving manufacture or distribution of illegal drugs	7 years
Felony conviction involving theft, fraud, forgery, or financial crimes directly relevant to tenancy or property management	5–7 years
Misdemeanor conviction involving violence, stalking, harassment, property damage, or drug distribution	3–5 years
Older convictions outside the review period	Not considered unless required by law or approved by counsel based on a specific, documented safety concern

29. The Broker’s Corporate Lease Policy

In the Listing Agreement between the Broker and the Property Owner the subject of Corporate Lease Offers is not addressed. It is the Broker’s understanding that individual Property Owners cannot be compelled to accept a Corporate Lease Offer. Therefore this entire policy hinges on whether or not the Property Owner will accept a Corporate Lease Offer.

If a Property Owner expresses interest in considering a Corporate Lease Offer, then the Broker’s conditions are as follows:

1. The Corporation must be registered with the Alabama Secretary of State.
2. If a Corporation does not have a 5A1 D&B Rating then a Principal of the Corporation will have to personally guarantee the lease and submit a personal lease application.
3. The Occupant must be an Employee of the Corporation.
4. The Occupant must be residing in the US legally and have an active SSN or ITIN.
5. The Occupant must consent to Credit and Background Check.

LEGAL DISCLAIMER:

The information contained above is not set forth as Legal Advice. The Broker is not an Attorney. None of the Broker’s Agents are Attorneys. The Broker or his Agents do not provide legal services or legal advice. If you have questions about your rights and responsibilities as a Rental Customer, Applicant, or Tenant, please consult with an Attorney.

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