Application Criteria

RENTAL QUALIFICATION STANDARDS

Ocean Realty & Property Management, Inc. is committed to providing a fair and consistent application process in compliance with all applicable Federal and Florida Fair Housing laws. All applicants are evaluated using the same general qualification standards; however, approval decisions are based on the overall strength of each application and may vary by property.

Submission of an application does not guarantee approval or reservation of a property.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Each occupant eighteen (18) years of age or older must:

  • Submit a completed application.
  • Pay the required application fee.
  • Provide a valid government-issued photo ID.
  • Consent to credit, criminal, rental history, and income verification.
  • Provide all requested supporting documentation.

Incomplete applications will not be processed and may be denied.

APPLICATION FEES

Application fees are non-refundable.

Fees are charged to cover the costs associated with processing applications, credit reports, background screening, rental history verification, employment verification, and administrative expenses.

Application fees will not be refunded if:

  • An application is denied.
  • Another applicant is approved.
  • An applicant withdraws their application.
  • Requested documentation is not provided.
  • Qualification requirements are not met.

INCOME REQUIREMENTS

Applicants must demonstrate sufficient verifiable income to meet rental obligations.

As a general guideline, total gross household income should be at least three (3) times the monthly rent.

Acceptable income documentation may include:

  • Recent pay stubs
  • Employer verification
  • Tax returns
  • Bank statements
  • Social Security benefit statements
  • Pension or retirement income documentation
  • Investment or trust income documentation
  • Court-ordered support documentation
  • Other documentation requested by management

Self-Employed Applicants

Self-employed applicants may be required to provide:

  • Two (2) years of tax returns
  • Business tax returns
  • Profit and loss statements
  • Business bank statements
  • Additional financial documentation as requested

EMPLOYMENT VERIFICATION

Current employment and income may be verified directly with employers.

Applicants with new employment may be required to provide an employment offer letter, contract, or additional proof of income.

CREDIT HISTORY

Credit history is evaluated as part of the overall application review.

Approval decisions are not based solely on credit score.

Factors that may be considered include:

  • Payment history
  • Housing-related collections
  • Utility collections
  • Outstanding judgments
  • Charge-offs
  • Debt obligations
  • Foreclosures
  • Collection accounts
  • Overall credit profile

Each application is reviewed based on the totality of information provided.

BANKRUPTCY HISTORY

  • Applicants with an active bankruptcy proceeding may be denied.
  • Applicants with a bankruptcy discharge within the previous two (2)
    years may be denied.
  • Bankruptcies older than two (2) years may be considered based on
    overall financial qualifications, current income, and housing history.

RENTAL HISTORY

Applicants should demonstrate a history of fulfilling lease obligations.

Factors that may negatively impact approval include:

  • Outstanding balances owed to current or former landlords
  • Lease violations
  • Repeated late rental payments
  • Property damage beyond normal wear and tear
  • Unauthorized occupants
  • Unauthorized pets
  • Material breaches of previous lease agreements
  • Negative landlord references

Rental history may be verified with current and previous housing providers.

EVICTION HISTORY

Applicants may be denied for:

  • Active eviction proceedings
  • Unpaid eviction judgments
  • Prior landlord judgments
  • A documented pattern of lease violations or non-payment

Dismissed or resolved eviction filings may be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

CRIMINAL BACKGROUND REVIEW

Criminal history may be reviewed as part of the application process.

Ocean Realty & Property Management evaluates criminal history on an individualized basis, considering factors such as:

  • Nature of the offense
  • Severity of the offense
  • Time elapsed since the offense
  • Evidence of rehabilitation
  • Relevance to housing-related risk

GUARANTORS

Ocean Realty & Property Management may allow the use of a guarantor for certain applicants who do not independently meet qualification requirements.

Guarantors must:

  • Be at least eighteen (18) years of age.
  • Reside within the State of Florida.
  • Complete an application.
  • Pass credit and background screening.
  • Demonstrate sufficient verifiable income.
  • Execute all required guaranty documents.

Acceptance of a guarantor is not guaranteed and is subject to management and owner approval.

PET POLICY

Pets are subject to owner approval and property-specific restrictions.

Approval may be based upon:

  • Number of pets
  • Breed restrictions
  • Size restrictions
  • Insurance requirements
  • Pet screening results
  • Prior pet-related rental history

Additional pet fees, deposits, and/or pet rent may apply where permitted.

Service animals and assistance animals are evaluated in accordance with applicable fair housing laws.

OCCUPANCY STANDARDS

Occupancy limits are established based on property size, configuration, health and safety considerations, and applicable laws.

Generally, occupancy is limited to two (2) persons per bedroom, subject to applicable legal requirements and property-specific factors.

APPLICATION FRAUD

All information provided must be complete and accurate.

Any of the following may result in immediate denial:

  • False statements
  • Material omissions
  • Altered documents
  • Forged documents
  • Identity discrepancies
  • Misrepresentation of income
  • Misrepresentation of employment
  • Misrepresentation of occupancy
  • Misrepresentation of pets

BEST QUALIFIED APPLICANT POLICY

Ocean Realty & Property Management may receive multiple applications for the same property.

Approval is not necessarily granted to the first applicant who applies.

When multiple completed applications are received, management may select the applicant determined to be the most qualified based on factors including:

  • Income
  • Credit history
  • Rental history
  • Employment stability
  • Debt obligations
  • Overall financial profile
  • Ability to satisfy lease obligations

Submission of an application does not reserve a property.

Properties remain available until a lease has been fully executed and all required funds have been received.

PROPERTY-SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS

Certain properties may be subject to additional owner requirements, homeowners' association requirements, condominium association requirements, insurance restrictions, pet restrictions, occupancy restrictions, or other lawful qualifications.

Applicants must satisfy both these general standards and any applicable property-specific requirements.

FAIR HOUSING

Ocean Realty & Property Management, Inc. is an Equal Housing Opportunity provider and fully complies with all applicable Federal and Florida Fair Housing laws.