Hi Mark,

We have a great Renters Guide to help answer a lot of your questions (http://hotpads.com/sites/rentersGuide) Here are some good, relevant sections:

Getting Started: Things to consider before beginning your search, evaluating an apartment, etc (http://hotpads.com/sites/rentersGuide/before/whereToLive)

Questions to ask the landlord: (http://hotpads.com/sites/rentersGuide/searching/openHouses/questions-to-ask-the-landlord)

and

What to look for before signing a lease: http://hotpads.com/sites/rentersGuide/leases/signing-a-lease-what-to-look-for-before-signing

Hope you can find some answers there!

In terms of what landlords consider, they will usually do a background and credit check. They will also request to see a pay stub, and some even ask about additional assets you have in the bank (savings, stocks, etc) to get a better picture of your financial situation.