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British Expats (https://britishexpats.com/forum/)
-   USA (https://britishexpats.com/forum/usa-57/)
-   -   Rental requirements issue - please help/advice needed (https://britishexpats.com/forum/usa-57/rental-requirements-issue-please-help-advice-needed-822303/)

lulublue14 Jan 20th 2014 12:39 pm
Rental requirements issue - please help/advice needed
 
Hello there,

Looking for advice from people who moved to LA/ or anywhere in the US where the rent was not so cheap.

Here is the situation:
My husband is being transferred to LA, he will earn about $50 000 per year. Unfortunately, I have to quit my job in the UK and find another job in LA when we arrive. However, we would like to have found a place there BEFORE we get there (with the Internet it's quite easy). Every single residences I asked said that we need to satisfy the salary = 2.5 times the rent. Unfortunately, with only my husband's income, we cannot satisfy this requirement at the time of application. Once I have a job, we would EASILY satisfy it though. :thumbdown:

Anybody had the same issue? Any tips or advice? Is the only solution to stay in a hotel until I find a job and we can satisfy that requirement?

Thanks a lot
Lulu

hoffage123 Jan 20th 2014 12:41 pm
Re: Rental requirements issue - please help/advice needed
 
Originally Posted by lulublue14 (Post 11087205)
Hello there,

Looking for advice from people who moved to LA/ or anywhere in the US where the rent was not so cheap.

Here is the situation:
My husband is being transferred to LA, he will earn about $50 000 per year. Unfortunately, I have to quit my job in the UK and find another job in LA when we arrive. However, we would like to have found a place there BEFORE we get there (with the Internet it's quite easy). Every single residences I asked said that we need to satisfy the salary = 2.5 times the rent. Unfortunately, with only my husband's income, we cannot satisfy this requirement at the time of application. Once I have a job, we would EASILY satisfy it though. :thumbdown:

Anybody had the same issue? Any tips or advice? Is the only solution to stay in a hotel until I find a job and we can satisfy that requirement?

Thanks a lot
Lulu
Guarantor would sort most of your issues for you. Would your husbands company be able to act as a guarantor for you? Also - why wasn't this negotiated as part of the package for moving over?

lulublue14 Jan 20th 2014 12:46 pm
Re: Rental requirements issue - please help/advice needed
 
Originally Posted by hoffage123 (Post 11087209)
Guarantor would sort most of your issues for you. Would your husbands company be able to act as a guarantor for you? Also - why wasn't this negotiated as part of the package for moving over?
Thanks for your reply! I didn't know they would accept a company as guarantor. My husband will have another discussion with them asking specifically for this. He didn't know what to ask really. They offered some time in a hotel but we have cats so we would like to move straight into an apartment we'd stay in for a while right when we arrive (yes crazy cat people!)

Speedwell Jan 20th 2014 12:47 pm
Re: Rental requirements issue - please help/advice needed
 
I live in a flat in Houston where the requirement was that I make four times the rent. No idea whether they still require this. I could make my rent more than five times, and I have a fairly nice flat, so I think maybe I won't be seeking to be house-poor in LA anytime soon. :(

Have you considered contacting apartment locators? They work for you for free (actually for a commission paid by the lessor) and may know of places that are more lenient on the income requirement, or ways to work around. Good luck to you.

lulublue14 Jan 20th 2014 12:52 pm
Re: Rental requirements issue - please help/advice needed
 
Originally Posted by Speedwell (Post 11087217)
I live in a flat in Houston where the requirement was that I make four times the rent. No idea whether they still require this. I could make my rent more than five times, and I have a fairly nice flat, so I think maybe I won't be seeking to be house-poor in LA anytime soon. :(

haha good call! Well we didn't find the rent excessive at all in LA, it's just that without my salary to start with, it's a bit tricky. Not that we wouldn't be able to afford it, we've lived in London for crying out load, we know how to deal with expensive rent!

Have you considered contacting apartment locators? They work for you for free (actually for a commission paid by the lessor) and may know of places that are more lenient on the income requirement, or ways to work around. Good luck to you.
No we haven't, we thought the easiest route was through a managed apartment building as they have extremely well designed website where you can find everything you need to know and basically lease online. We'll explore that route though, thanks for the tip!

hoffage123 Jan 20th 2014 12:52 pm
Re: Rental requirements issue - please help/advice needed
 
Originally Posted by lulublue14 (Post 11087215)
Thanks for your reply! I didn't know they would accept a company as guarantor. My husband will have another discussion with them asking specifically for this. He didn't know what to ask really. They offered some time in a hotel but we have cats so we would like to move straight into an apartment we'd stay in for a while right when we arrive (yes crazy cat people!)
Yes also - $50K seems a bit low for the LA area. What area of work is it that your husband works in?

He needs to factor in cost of visa, relocation expenses etc as well as part of the package - it sounds a little like the company is transferring him there on the cheap, but I can't be sure. Others who have direct experience of this will be able to advise.

Also, what visa category is he applying for admission under as with some categories the spouse is not legally entitled to work?


Hoffage

Pulaski Jan 20th 2014 1:02 pm
Re: Rental requirements issue - please help/advice needed
 
Originally Posted by hoffage123 (Post 11087229)
Yes also - $50K seems a bit low for the LA area. What area of work is it that your husband works in?

He needs to factor in cost of visa, relocation expenses etc as well as part of the package - it sounds a little like the company is transferring him there on the cheap, ....
Yeah $50k seems rough to me, as California is a fairly high cost area. You may be shocked at both what you can afford to rent, and at the general cost of living, especially as you will also realistically need to cars to get about because public transport is not as comprehensive as in the UK, and it can take a long time to commute by bus.

Just out of curiosity, what do you do (occupation), and why are you so sure that you will find a (well paid) job easily?

lulublue14 Jan 20th 2014 1:14 pm
Re: Rental requirements issue - please help/advice needed
 
Originally Posted by hoffage123 (Post 11087229)
Yes also - $50K seems a bit low for the LA area. What area of work is it that your husband works in?

He needs to factor in cost of visa, relocation expenses etc as well as part of the package - it sounds a little like the company is transferring him there on the cheap, but I can't be sure. Others who have direct experience of this will be able to advise.

Hoffage
Well it's basically the salary he got in London converted in dollars. He is not 100% sure of the incentives he'll get for the transfer though (flights etc.) so I cannot yet say if they're being cheap or not
He is working in the special effects industry, he is a technical support engineer for VFX software.

lulublue14 Jan 20th 2014 1:17 pm
Re: Rental requirements issue - please help/advice needed
 
Originally Posted by Pulaski (Post 11087238)
Yeah $50k seems rough to me, as California is a fairly high cost area. You may be shocked at both what you can afford to rent, and at the general cost of living, especially as you will also realistically need to cars to get about because public transport is not as comprehensive as in the UK, and it can take a long time to commute by bus.

Just out of curiosity, what do you do (occupation), and why are you so sure that you will find a (well paid) job easily?
Hey! thanks for your reply. I didn't know that 50k was bad lol he will get more information in the next few weeks so hopefully we'll get better news!
Well I didn't say I would get a well paid job but I should at least get the same amount of money and with a joint income of 100 000$ we'd be able to rent easily. That's what I meant. I work in television and I've been looking around and there seems to be a lot of jobs. I am currently working for FOX in the UK so I am not coming over with 0 experience. Do you think it will be hard?

hoffage123 Jan 20th 2014 1:19 pm
Re: Rental requirements issue - please help/advice needed
 
Originally Posted by lulublue14 (Post 11087255)
Well it's basically the salary he got in London converted in dollars. He is not 100% sure of the incentives he'll get for the transfer though (flights etc.) so I cannot yet say if they're being cheap or not
He is working in the special effects industry, he is a technical support engineer for VFX software.
Right. He needs to look at salaries for this kind of role in the U.S and compare, and be proactive about negotiating the benefits rather than wait for them to give him the least possible; at the very least his salary needs to reflect what similar roles are earning in the US, which I suspect would be more.

Hoffage

lulublue14 Jan 20th 2014 1:20 pm
Re: Rental requirements issue - please help/advice needed
 
Originally Posted by hoffage123 (Post 11087268)
Right. He needs to look at salaries for this kind of role in the U.S and compare, and be proactive about negotiating the benefits rather than wait for them to give him the least possible; at the very least his salary needs to reflect what similar roles are earning in the US, which I suspect would be more.

Hoffage
You're right, I'll pass that on to him. Thanks again for your good advice, it's really nice of you! :fingerscrossed:

hoffage123 Jan 20th 2014 1:22 pm
Re: Rental requirements issue - please help/advice needed
 
Originally Posted by lulublue14 (Post 11087264)
Hey! thanks for your reply. I didn't know that 50k was bad lol he will get more information in the next few weeks so hopefully we'll get better news!
Well I didn't say I would get a well paid job but I should at least get the same amount of money and with a joint income of 100 000$ we'd be able to rent easily. That's what I meant. I work in television and I've been looking around and there seems to be a lot of jobs. I am currently working for FOX in the UK so I am not coming over with 0 experience. Do you think it will be hard?
I am a broadcast journalist who is currently moving over as well (but on an immigrant visa) - the market is massively more fragmented over in the US, and you will be competing with local applicants - if you want to stand a chance you will need to ensure your credentials are top-notch and be prepared for a period of unemployment whilst you get your face known.

Pulaski Jan 20th 2014 1:23 pm
Re: Rental requirements issue - please help/advice needed
 
Originally Posted by lulublue14 (Post 11087264)
Hey! thanks for your reply. I didn't know that 50k was bad lol he will get more information in the next few weeks so hopefully we'll get better news!
Well I didn't say I would get a well paid job but I should at least get the same amount of money and with a joint income of 100 000$ we'd be able to rent easily. That's what I meant. I work in television and I've been looking around and there seems to be a lot of jobs. I am currently working for FOX in the UK so I am not coming over with 0 experience. Do you think it will be hard?
Sorry, I don't know much about the media business, but I do know that all the "traditional media" have been struggling to adjust to the impact of the internet. TV doesn't, so far as I can tell seem to have been hit as hard as the print media, but I suspect there is a lot of competition for job in TV in LA.

hoffage123 Jan 20th 2014 1:24 pm
Re: Rental requirements issue - please help/advice needed
 
Originally Posted by lulublue14 (Post 11087271)
You're right, I'll pass that on to him. Thanks again for your good advice, it's really nice of you! :fingerscrossed:
No worries, glad to help!

Hoffage

civilservant Jan 20th 2014 1:24 pm
Re: Rental requirements issue - please help/advice needed
 
LA on a single income, and that income is only $50k?

Ouch. Monthly expenses will eat that alive.

What are his provisions for health insurance?


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