All Forum Posts by: Andrew Grimmett

Hey @Andrew Grimmett, welcome to the Section 8 side of things. There’s definitely a bit of a learning curve at first, but once you get familiar with the process, it starts to feel a lot more manageable.

When it comes to income and credit requirements for voucher holders, it works a little differently than with market-rate tenants. Since the housing authority pays most or sometimes all of the rent, many landlords don’t use the usual “3 times the rent” rule. The main thing is whether the tenant can afford their portion of the rent, and the housing authority figures that out based on their income.

As for credit scores, landlords tend to be more flexible. Some set a minimum around 550 or 600, while others skip that altogether and focus more on things like rental history, background checks, and how reliable the tenant has been in the past. Talking to previous landlords can give you a clearer picture.

For inspections, the first one is usually pretty straightforward. They’ll check for things like working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, handrails on stairs, functioning utilities, no peeling paint (especially if the home is older), and general safety. If the property is in decent shape and you stay on top of maintenance, you should be fine.

Self-managing is very doable, especially if you’re organized and responsive. It might feel overwhelming now, but once you go through the process with your first tenant, things start to make a lot more sense.

Wishing you the best with it, and feel free to ask more questions as you go.

I don't use Section 8 vouchers. My requirements are a 620 credit score, no past evictions, 2.25x rent for income. 

@Andrew Grimmett

Andrew — with Section 8, voucher amount vs. rent is the key. Landlord references matter more than credit scores. First inspection is straightforward: smoke detectors, handrails, no peeling paint. Once you pass, rent is steady and direct from the housing authority.

You planning to self-manage or use a PM?

620 credit score and 3x  rent for income

Quote from @Andrew Grimmett:

Hey everyone,

I'm new to the world of real estate investing and am exploring the possibility of renting out one of my properties through the Section 8 program. I have a 3-bedroom house in the Hilltop area (43204) that I'm considering, and I think I might be able to convert one of the rooms to make it a 4-bedroom.

I'm looking for some guidance on a few key points, as the process seems a bit overwhelming:

 * What's involved in applying for Section 8 as a landlord?

 * What's the actual application process like?

 * Do I need to cover utilities with the rent amount provided by Section 8, or are those separate?

 * How is the maximum rent amount determined for a property, especially if I were to convert it to a 4-bedroom?

Any insights, tips, or experiences you can share would be incredibly helpful! It's been quite a learning curve with this house, and I'm eager to understand this program better.

Thanks in advance for 

your help!

You’ll need to register with the local housing authority and pass a habitability inspection before they approve the unit. The application is mostly paperwork, then the unit gets inspected, and if it passes, they’ll send a lease addendum and start payments after move-in. Utilities depend on how the lease is structured. Section 8 will either factor them into the payment or expect the tenant to pay directly. The max rent is based on bedroom count, zip code, and included utilities, so converting to a 4-bed could increase your allowed amount. The Hilltop area does have active voucher holders, but be ready for repairs, inspections, and communication with CMHA.

@Andrew Grimmett
Since it's a single-family, I would have the tenant pay all utilities. I own 24 units in the hilltop neighborhood alone. I am pretty familiar with that neighborhood. You need to have a Section 8 tenant to start the application process. If you self-manage you'll want to put the property up for rent on zillow and affordable housing.com and once someone reaches out that is seciton 8 and meets you crtieria as a tenant, you would fill out the RTA packet and start the process. 

Welcome to the journey, Andrew! great to see you looking into Section 8, especially in that part of town. 

The process typically starts with an inspection from the local housing authority. After that’s approved, there’s a lease with the tenant and a separate agreement with the housing office. Rent is usually based on bedroom count and location, so converting to a 4-bedroom could help, but it’s worth checking how they’ll officially count it.

As for utilities, it really depends on your lease. If you include them, they’ll factor that into the approved rent amount. If tenants are covering them, it usually doesn’t affect what the housing authority pays.

Hope that helps a bit! Feel free to keep the convo going, just let me know!