Why do I have to pay an application fee for military housing in Jacksonville?

There are many apartment options for military housing in Jacksonville if you choose to not live on base. A lot of members of the military and their families may go with this option. However, if you choose to live off of base, then be prepared for the costs associated with signing a lease with an apartment community. One of these costs is an application fee. This is a common occurrence from luxury apartments all the way to affordable housing.

An application fee for military housing in Jacksonville can vary from community to community. The price differs and is really dependent upon the property manager and/or the management company. To be able to apply for military housing in Jacksonville, you are typically asked for a fee before they process your paperwork. These fees go towards running your application, background check, rental history, income verification and any other costs associated with processing the paperwork. This also ensures that you are serious about renting the apartment. Imagine if a community had to pay for the background screen and paperwork processing for everyone that came in to fill out an application! That would cost the company a lot of money in the end.

Although many apartments you find suitable for your military housing in Jacksonville may ask for an application fee, you can often see if they are running and specials. These specials may include discounted fees. Sometimes, if you decide to move in before the end of the month or if you decide to move in during a slower season, the community may offer you a discount on your application fee.

A lot of communities offer preferred employer or student and teacher discounts as well. In your case, you should ask if the place you choose for your military housing in Jacksonville offers a military discount. Being that Jacksonville is a military heavy location, some communities may even waive the fee when you go in to apply for an apartment. You just have to ask!

Be aware, if you are applying for an apartment with a roommate, communities usually ask for an application fee from each person that will be signing the lease. If you are married, property managers typically just ask for one application fee per lease, although it may be more than if you were applying as a single person.

When you show up to fill out the paperwork, be prepared to pay. Offices typically ask for the application fee as soon as you decide to fill out the application. Many apartments can run all of the necessary checks within minutes and have you approved in no time. If that happens and you're certain that you want to secure the apartment, they may even ask for a deposit to hold the unit. You will need to know ahead of time what forms of payment they accept. Call ahead and ask if they accept cash, check, money order and/or other. You'll want to be prepared for this.

Choosing an apartment for military housing in Jacksonville is a great decision. Although there are fees associated with finding your perfect home, your future community will always go over each cost with you so you understand what you are paying for. If anything is unclear, just let the property manager or leasing agent know and they will clarify it for you. 

These are the opinions of writers and not the opinions of RentJax.com or any of our advertising partners.