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Presenting yourself to a prospective landlord

Particularly in tight housing markets, looking for an apartment is not unlike looking for a job.

Think in terms of a job interview: you need to persuade the landlord that you're the right tenant for the apartment that's up for grabs.

Dress nicely, be polite and have documentation on hand to support your application. Bring your driver's license and Social Security number. Have a copy of your credit report with you, or a guarantor's letter and credit report if your credit won't withstand scrutiny. Letters of reference from past landlords are helpful.

A letter from your current employer, verifying that you are indeed gainfully employed and have a source of income, as well as letters from past ones, will add to your credibility. It's up to you to decide how much you want to divulge about your current income level and your assets. Balance your right to privacy with how badly you want the apartment in question.

You should aim to appear organized, reliable and as though you have nothing to hide. Remember, the only grounds on which a landlord cannot deny you an apartment are those based on race, religion, sex, ethnic background, and disability. Some state and local laws go further, prohibiting discrimination on the grounds of marital status, sexual orientation, presence of children, and age.

Your prospective landlord may, however, take a dislike to your fuchsia hair, your flamboyant clothes or any of your other forms of self-expression, and deny your application as a matter of personal taste. In the interest of obtaining the apartment you want, tone it down.