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In her great book, You are a Badass at Making Money, author Jen Sincero shares a real-life story of her broke days when she lived in downtown Los Angeles and dreamed of living by the beach. Every weekend, she would drive west and put up flyers, schmooze landlords, and roam the streets in her quest. She says she was even willing to max out what few credit cards she had left to make her dream happen.

Finally, Jen found what was, at the time for her, a miracle: A converted, dinky garage near the ocean at a price she could afford. Everyone else apparently thought it was a miracle too, and half of L.A. showed up for the open house.

But undeterred, Jen also showed up the next day, Reuben sandwich in hand for the landlord, whom she charmed. And charmed again the next day. And the next. And yes, of course, despite her self-proclaimed, “rickety relationship with money,” Jen got the apartment. (Note: Jen is now a multimillionaire. Great book by the way, unsolicited advice).

So, yes, getting that great apartment with bad credit is indeed possible. Here are some tricks of the trade.

1. Be upfront about your credit history

Honesty is the best policy when dealing with a potential landlord in a situation like this. If you are not going to blow them away with your 800 credit score (the average American credit score is 717, by the way), you need a different tack, and radical honesty just may be it.

Acknowledge that your credit is not perfect, but explain the reasons behind it. Whether it was due to unforeseen medical bills or other circumstances, landlords may be more understanding if they know the context behind your predicament. Now, this is not true of course for all landlords, but you only need one landlord with a heart of gold for this process to work.

2. Provide strong references

If your credit score is low, references are critical to establishing you as a solid, responsible, valuable, even desirable tenant. Gather letters of recommendation from previous landlords, employers, or even roommates.

A strong reference can go a long way in showing a landlord that, despite your credit history, you really are trustworthy and responsible. These references should emphasize your promptness with rent, your respect for the property, and your general dependability.

3. Offer a larger security deposit

This one definitely also works because, well, money talks. Another way to make a landlord more comfortable with your less than stellar financial situation could be to offer a larger security deposit than what is being requested. This not only serves as insurance for the landlord if they are concerned about your credit history, but it shows you mean business and are willing to put your money where your mouth is.

Offering two or three months’ worth of rent as a security deposit can make your application stand out and be much more appealing than it otherwise would be. It also gives the landlord peace of mind.

4. Use your charm

When your credit score is not your best friend, your personality can be one of your biggest assets. Charm and good interpersonal skills can help you build a connection with a landlord. Be polite, personable, and show genuine interest in maintaining the property.

People like working with people they like, and as such, all other things being (almost) equal, landlords are more likely to take a chance on someone they like and feel they can trust than someone who is just “fine.”

5. Find a cosigner

If your credit is preventing you from securing an apartment on your own, a cosigner can also go a long way toward making you less of a risk for the landlord. A cosigner with good credit can help reassure landlords that the rent will be paid, even if your own credit score is shaky. Just make sure that your cosigner is fully aware of their financial responsibilities if you fail to meet your obligations.

6. Demonstrate steady income

Finally, while your credit history is of course important, what is also important is demonstrating that you have a stable income and sufficient ability to pay the rent in full and on time. For this one to help, you will need to show proof of your income with pay stubs, tax returns, or checking account statements. Landlords want to know that you have the financial means to pay rent, and proof of regular, steady income can sometimes compensate for bad credit.

Moving forward

While it is possible to get an apartment with bad credit, it’s not a skill you want to master. Instead, it’s better to improve your credit. The good news is that with a little diligence, you can improve your credit fairly quickly.

Here’s how:

• Pay down your credit cards. High revolving credit card balances are just about the single worst thing you can have on a credit report. Pay them down and see your credit score rise.
• If you don’t have any credit cards, get a secured one. You simply would deposit say, $300 into an account and you would get a card for $300 credit. The deposit secures the card. Click here for a list of our top recommended secured credit cards.
• Check your credit report for errors. Errors are common on credit reports. Check yours, and if you find mistakes, (debts listed as delinquent that have been paid off, for example), demand they be removed. By law, they must be.

Look, if rickety Jen Sincero can score a beach house with crappy credit, just think what you can do. Yes, securing an apartment with poor credit will take extra effort, but by being honest, leveraging references and financial resources (cosigners or higher security deposits), and using your charm, you can do it, too.

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