Moving to the U.S.? Avoid These Rental Mistakes in the Bay Area

If you are moving to the U.S. and planning on renting, don’t make these common mistakes.

1. Not getting a U.S. phone number and asking people to communicate on WhatsApp. Agents usually dismiss these requests as spam.

2. Being scared of opening a credit card. Start building U.S. credit immediately. Open a credit card and pay it off in full when you receive the bank statement.

3. Rushing into a long-term lease. Secure short-term housing first. Use Airbnb for this. It will give you time to build your credit and identify the area where you want to live.

4. Not gathering all documentation. You need at least: proof of income or employment job offer letter, relocation letter .

And here is the thing: if you don’t have a credit score or references from a previous landlord, be upfront about it. I helped create a message for my friend, who didn’t have a credit score, and whose previous landlord had passed away, so he couldn’t provide references. A very odd situation, but that message helped him secure his rental.