What makes Autumn Creek different from other companies?

Autumn Creek Management Services is a company that provides management services to small private property owners. We do not own the properties we offer for leasing. The level of service varies between property owners. We offer everything from executive level housing with 24 hour service to economy housing. Policies and requirements can be as different as the properties themselves and can vary between property owners. The benefit is that we do have some property owners who are willing to accept pets or have very affordable apartments. There may be additional flexibility on other issues. Please be sure to discuss lease changes in advance and GET them in writing AS PART OF THE ORIGINAL LEASE. We want to work with you to meet you needs.

I see an apartment I am interested in. What should I do next?

We ask that you call our office at (815)756-1988 to schedule a private showing of the locations you’d like to see. At your scheduled time, meet at our office located directly across from the Holmes Student Center on Lucinda Avenue. There we can also provide you with floor plans and other useful information.

Do you accept Walk-in Appointments?

As part of the City Ordinance Chapter 10, all landlords are required to provide tenants with at least a 1 hour notice prior to showing an occupied apartment. As all of our apartments are tenant occupied and we would like to respect their privacy and provide as much notice as possible we strongly discourage walk-ins. Although we might be able to squeeze you in with another scheduled appointment or show you a vacant unit, it is often impossible. It is best to call 24 hours in advance.

Do you run a credit check / how do you determine acceptance?

We run a credit check on potential tenants before signing a lease. However, this does not mean that we rely on credit alone to decide renting eligibility. There are several factors considered. Examples of an acceptable application might include, a credit score of 622 or higher for residents, 90 days employment history and rent not to exceed more than 1/3 of the combined gross monthly income of the residents, a positive past rental history and/or sufficient parental guarantees. Examples of denied applications: past evictions or poor rental history, previous lease violations, insufficient income, or excess debt to income ratio.

When should I turn in a lease application?

Applications are accepted only in conjunction with the lease signing. Please do not fax or send in applications until you have made your final apartment selection and are ready to execute a lease. Stray applications are shredded. To avoid any unnecessary delays when you are ready to sign a lease, it is important to have a lease application filled out in full for each person hoping to be a tenant and to have all application submitted at the same time. Co-signers must either sign the application in our office or have their signatures notarized. Applications are available at our office or you can click the link below for an online version to print out.
· Autumn Creek Application · (requires Adobe Reader)

What is needed to sign a lease?

To sign a lease you must turn in completed applications for all adult residents to occupy the apartment, pay the security deposit equal to one month’s rent, and review and complete the lease documents.

Do I need a co-signer?

Cosigners are not always necessary. Factors include established credit, rental history, income and existing debts.

However, we strongly recommend that student applicants utilize the “parental guarantee form”. This unique form allows parents to guarantee a specified dollar amount each month towards the rental obligation. As each tenant is 100% responsible for the entire rental amount due on the lease, this form helps to safeguard that responsible roommates are not left “holding the bag” if there is a problem with a non-paying roommate down the line.

Are Prepaid Rents Required?

Prepaid rent requirements are established by each individual property owner. A general policy is listed below. Please check with us to verify the particular requirements of any given property address.

Most residental property offerings require a prepaid last month’s rent.

Student area apartments generally have leases that run 12 month leases that have occupancy from August to August. The 12 month payment schedule usually begins the June (prior to the lease start) and runs until May. This schedule has a pre-paid for the summer and generally relieves the need for many students to have a co-signer.

What if my roommate doesn’t pay their share of rent?

It is very important to select roommates carefully. All residents signed to a lease are responsible for the entire balance due each month. Often this is where a parent guarantee to cover your part of the rent can be helpful.

If you have any additional questions please contact us at (815) 756-1988.