What is the catch with expat tenants?

[Pal Sa]

I have been getting some requests to show our rental to expats. It is usually a relocation agent that seems to be helping the client find a home. In my case, all of the expats seem to be from Japan. I have not verified but that is what the agents are telling me.  I find it strange that there are so many expats looking to rent a home in this location, all of them from one country, etc. 

Is there anything I need to be aware of? They won't have a credit history in the US or anything I can verify. Have you dealt with such situations?

[David Gotsill]

I've been on the other side of this - the expat tenant trying to rent.  It's challenging, since as you point out, we don't typically have the customary paperwork/processes for the local market (in my case, I was American renting in Japan).  You can ask for a guarantee from the tenant's company, an increased security deposit, first 2-3 months' rent in advance, etc.  These are aimed to limit your financial risk, especially in light of not having a US credit report.  

As to the offer letter - can't say that it "should be" from the US company.  I work for a J-company, and we have wholly-owned subsidiaries in the US.  When we send a Japanese expat to the US, their letter is issued by HQ, a Japanese company.

FWIW, I am a landlord in Japan, and to the extent that broad generalizations help, my tenants (I've held 55 units for the last 5 years) have almost never caused any damage beyond ordinary wear and tear.  I'm also a landlord in Alabama, and I can share pictures of the absolute nonsense some of those tenants have engaged in.  This is all a way of saying that (again, speaking in broad generalizations) my experience has been that Japanese tenants have been relatively problem-free.