Apartment rental demand is up, notably because of the foreclosure epidemic that is sweeping the country. It is true that on the same token home values are dipping and this means that it has never been a better time to buy. Nevertheless, apartment managers are reporting record applications because more and more people are who previously had homes now want to rent first before they can buy. Then there is the economy. While the number of jobless claims have declined somewhat according to the US Department of Labor, the rate of unemployment continues to be a problem and many families are finding that they are faced with both a foreclosure and joblessness at the same time. How can one rent an apartment when they have no job and therefore no certifiable income?

Ask to speak to the manager

When searching for an apartment and you have extenuating circumstances, always speak with the manager directly. This puts your issue in front of someone who can do something about it rather than a front desk operative who can be prejudiced against you because of your income deficiency. Inform the manager than you have been previously employed and that you have resumes out and have interviews lines up.

Show other assets

If you have recently sold your home then you may have some money in the bank that is equivalent to three months in rent. There are however those that have not recently sold their home simply because they didn't have one. If you are just in between jobs and do not have three months worth of assets in an account then use your 401(k) if you have one. Other assets may include money market accounts, stocks, CDs, investments and other tangible sellable assets.

Get a cosigner

If you do not have a job and do not have any money then you might want to get someone to cosign for you. This can be anyone as long as they have verifiable income, good rental history and a reasonable credit rating. Cosigners can be a great way to be approved for an apartment if you are not currently employed.

Look for sublets

Regular apartments will more or less conduct job history checks and income verification on all potential tenants and the criteria for approval is usually 3 times the amount of rent. That simply means your income must be three times the amount of the rent otherwise you may either need a cosigner or you may need to look for a cheaper apartment. There are however, ways of getting an apartment that does not conduct these checks and this is by looking for sublets. A sublet is an apartment that is under someone else's lease but the person now leases to you or lets you assume responsibility for paying rent. In many of these cases a credit check or an income verification check is never conducted.