How to apply
By invitation:
If you’ve been in touch with a landlord about renting from them, you may receive an invitation by email to complete an application for that home.
Here’s what the email looks like:
Via public link:
Alternatively, the landlord may generate a listing page to market a vacant property. Every active listing page will have a direct path into the application for prospective tenants to apply without a direct invitation.
In both cases, clicking the "Apply now" button will take you to a welcome page for the rental property. Make sure that the address on this page matches the property you intend to apply to rent.
Logging in
Stessa utilizes a secure login software called Auth0, which enables users to access and submit their applications.
If you haven't completed an application with Stessa yet, please click on "Sign Up" to create an account.
Make sure to use your correct email, as this is where notifications about your application status will be sent.
Completing the application form
Once you’ve logged in, simply fill in each section and submit the application. The form is divided into five sections:
Personal information: basic information about you.
Household information: here we ask for household-level information. If you do end up inviting roommates to apply with you, they will not be required to complete this section – only the primary applicant fills this information in.
Co-Applicants: this is your opportunity to invite co-signers and/or roommates to apply with you. This process is outlined in more depth in the section below.
Residence history: we ask for up to three years’ worth of residence history.
Employment information: we ask for all current employment and income sources to be documented here.
Inviting roommates and co-signers
Within the Co-Applicants section of the application, the primary applicant will be able to invite as many roommates as they desire. Simply input the name, email, and phone number of the co-applicant you wish to invite and click Save. This will send your co-applicant an email inviting them to complete the relevant application sections and link them to your application.
Credit report screening
After you’ve submitted your application on Stessa, you will be required to complete a credit report with our partner RentPrep. The invitation to this process will be sent to your email as soon as you submit your application with Stessa.
The invitation email looks like this:
You will be directed to the RentPrep flow after clicking "Get Started". You will be required to submit personal information to facilitate the running of the credit report. RentPrep is a team of FCRA Certified Screeners who perform credit and background checks professionally. They are a partner of Stessa & Roofstock as well as many other companies.
You may also receive a direct invitation to just complete a screen without the rental application.
Important to note: An application is not considered “complete” until all of the applicants and co-applicants have submitted their Stessa application and completed their RentPrep credit report.
Income Verification
If an Income Verification is requested you will receive an email from Payscore, support@payscore.com.
Confirmation
Once the payment has been processed, a confirmation email will be sent.
Awaiting a landlord’s decision
As soon as each applicant has completed their application, we will let the landlord know that they have a new application to review! Within Stessa they will be able to view your application, household information, and credit reports generated from RentPrep (these credit reports will expire after 60 days for your security).
If the landlord elects to move forward with your application, they will reach out to you directly at which time you may talk about the specifics of the tentative lease. At this point, you’ll be on your way to a tenancy at your new home!