 TITLE: Do You Need a Credit Score to Rent a House or Apartment? CONTENT: How to Check Your Credit Before Renting an Apartment\n----------------------------------------------------\nThere's no set credit score necessary to rent an apartment or house; the criteria for approval will vary depending on the property, location, landlord and other factors. However, knowing your credit score before you start apartment-hunting can help you zero in on properties you may qualify to rent.\nGet a free copy of your credit report and review it for accuracy. You can also check your credit score for free to see where you stand. Here's how credit scores rank in the popular FICO® Score☉ model:\n*   **Exceptional**: 800 to 850\n*   **Very good**: 740 to 799\n*   **Good**: 670 to 739\n*   **Fair**: 580 to 669\n*   **Very poor**: 300 to 579\nIf your score is good to exceptional, you can start your apartment search with confidence. A poor or fair credit score won't necessarily keep you from renting; you'll just need to approach it differently. For example, you may have more success with independent landlords than with management companies of large properties. END