Please note that this is just a word of caution, that I never actually lived there, and that Flo-mar treated me extremely civilly and politely (though not necessarily with dignity) throughout the following experience.

When my husband and I were looking for a place to live while I returned to EMU as an older grad student (while still working fulltime), we looked at Flo-mar first because of the generally good reviews and fair amenities listed on their websites.

However, when we called Flo-mar to discuss applying, etc., we were informed that we would need a co-signer for the lease. Please note a) that we are married professionals in our mid- and upper-twenties who b) have an excellent rental history, which Flo-mar would have discovered when they c) used the check we were supposed to send as part of the application (I want to say $70') to check our credit history (which is also excellent). That's what the application check is FOR - to do a background/credit history check, to prove that we are a good risk as potential lessees. A co-signer is usually only used when the applicant has bad credit or no credit, the latter of which is what many young, undergrad students have, simply because they haven't had the financial history and experience to build (good) credit. Because of this, a co-signer is generally only brought up AFTER the credit check has been done, and has proven poor or nonexistent; they exist so that the lessor will have a GOOD credit risk to legally pursue for debt payments should the lessee skip out or otherwise refuse to pay. Usually, a co-signer is a parent or other relative with better credit than the applicant/lessee.

When Flo-mar said a co-signer was mandatory, even before the credit check was done, AND that we'd still have to pay the application fee so they could do the background check, I practically did a double-take. I explained that I was confident that a credit check and our rental history, not to mention our employment history, should be more than sufficient to attest to our good credit. It wasn't that my word wasn't good enough for Flo-mar (they don't know me from Eve, after all), but that they wouldn't even bother giving my husband (who is NOT a student, if that matters) and I the benefit of the doubt, that they would take the fee and STILL insist on a co-signer, regardless of what they found. This, to me, is a little insulting.

The icing on the cake for me was when they told me that they had to require a co-signer for EVERYONE because of "equal opportunity laws." Hogwash. And anyway, those same laws mean they can't deny an applicant based on age. I wonder who they expect, for instance, a 50-year-old applicant to ask to co-sign' Her 75-year-old mother' Her grown child'

Affronted dignity aside, however, I tell you all this, not because I believe this makes Flo-mar a terrible or shady or disreputable company, but rather to show you indirect evidence of exactly who they are used to dealing with, and, thus, the calibre of tenants to whom they tend to rent (who will be your future neighbors, should you rent here). Clearly, they have been ripped off by too many dumb kids (no offense to you well-behaved undergrads; you know who you are) to feel comfortable trusting anyone, ever. Grad students, young professionals - anyone other than inexperienced undergrad college kids, actually - do yourself a favor, and take your business elsewhere. It's not that Flo-mar is terrible, it's just that they are not looking to attract our kind.

We moved to Saline, by the way, and we are absolutely loving it. It's a cute little town bordered by farm country. I saw Ypsilanti for the first time with my own eyes at grad school orientation. No offense to Ypsi lovers, but...kind of a dumpy town. If you are an older student or young professional, and maybe not into the college party scene anyway, I would suggest looking at Saline, Chelsea, Dexter, or Milan. A bit of a drive to get to EMU, but you can breathe easier. Even big, expensive, undergrad-packed Ann Arbor is a much better alternative.

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