Saving time with tenants

[Veronica Gordon]

Hello all. If you are managing your own properties I’d like to hear from you! I am planning to scale soon and want to know what your go to systems are that save you time with tenants. 
Anyone have recommendations on digitizing a lease and being able to send it to a future tenant to sign?  Do you have a system where people can upload paystubs, copy of drivers licenses etc? What do you use to set boundaries with tenant calls? Other than texting directly, how does a tenant communicate with you? Does anyone have a system where it can leave an out of office holiday reply or if you reply to a tenant the communication  goes out during business hours?
Thanks all! Let me hear from you!

[Richard F.]

Aloha,

In 30 years I have never provided my cell number to Tenants. Most have little respect for your time and can be incessant. Email is always primary, and simplifies filing and record keeping. A second "office" number with voice mail (that can be checked remotely, or, more recently, that sends an audio clip to a separate email so you are notified right away) or an after hours answering service that can screen the calls has always worked well.

I DO always provide my cell number to contractors and certain others that are sent to the property for a variety of reasons. I always request techs to call with a verbal estimate before proceeding with routine items. I make myself completely available to them.

I appear to be in the minority, but I always sit down with Tenants to review and sign the actual Rental Agreement. I take that time to explain and clarify my expectations and their responsibilities. Most people, given the option to sign remotely, will NEVER read most of the document. My goal is to prevent problems, even IF they are created by the Tenant's lack of interest in the documents.