What candidate would you prefer?

Question

I have 4 solid candidates, which is making it hard for me to select:

A: Doctor (ending residency in a year at a major hospital) and engineer (working for a big high-tech company), moving from 40 miles away to be closer to work. 750-800 credit, 4.1 income-to-rent ratio, 40lb Husky dog (not an ESA, but professionally trained). I talked to the current landlord (where they've resided for 4.5 years) and he said he didn't notice any damage at all (in the two inspections since they got the dog) and they are great communicating.

B. Junior engineer (working for a big high-tech company) and mom (REI agent, self employed), moving from out of state because of the "back to the office" policy from the high-tech company. 750 credit, 4.3 income-to-rent ratio, 13lb Cavapoo dog. My property is 15 minutes walking to the engineer's work. They can't offer landlord references for the dog because they got the dog after they purchased the current property, but they promise he's very well behaved.

C. Police officer and part-time spouse with a 9-month-old baby. 780-800 credit, 5.2 income-to-rent ratio.

D. Engineer and trainer (both working for the same big high-tech company as B, in another nearby location one of them and at home the other one), moving from out of state. 800 credit, 2.4 income-to-rent ratio, 2 adult cats. They provided a letter from a prior landlord who stated that even though they got the apartment furnished, the landlord didn't find a scratch even in the furniture.

(I will check landlord references for B, C, and D tomorrow.)

I have my thoughts of what I think would make me lean to each, but I don't see a major pull to any. Personally they were all very nice too. Do you have any thoughts?

Thank you!

Bruce Woodruff · Answer

C. All day long. No pets and a solid conservative family guy who will be armed and not put up with any crap. C.

Michelle Fenn · Answer

Depends on the neighborhood, I actually rented to a police officer who worked in the district where I managed many rentals.   I was really convenient to have the personal cell phone number for policeman when you need assistance or answers to what is going on.

Jill F. · Answer

In Ohio we don't have any requirement to select a qualified candidate based on application submission date/time. If the unit I'm marketing isn't vacant, I market it until I get 10 or so qualified applications and then show it to everyone that filled out an application. For everyone interested in the unit after showings, I draw names out of a hat. That avoids bias and seems more fair than taking the first applicant  who saw it on zillow and had time right then to fill out an application for an apartment that might not even be ready for a couple of weeks.

Greg M. · Answer

There are extremely few places that require you select the first person who meets the minimum qualifications. While many people suggest you do this so that there is no potential discrimination issues, I think it is a lousy way to do business. My qualifications are the absolute minimum requirements to rent from me. The worst I will accept. It's a much better business decision to get multiple qualified candidates and select the one that is the least risk for you.

First Choice: C. Police officer with a child is going to concerned with the safety/security of the place. Any troubling people in the area will soon learn their is a police officer nearby. Best income ratio. Probably get a few years as a tenant before they move due to the growing child. Hopefully they move before the child does damage.

Second Choice: A. I'd worry that he would leave after his residency is up.

Third Choice: B. Living with mom is probably fairly temporary. I'd prefer my tenants be long term.

Applicant D is a decline due to income level only being 2.4

Matt M. · Answer

I’d choose the cop. Not sure what a part time spouse is, but they have no pets. That’s the winner for me!

Daniel B. · Answer

@Maria G.

C.

A. Sounds good on paper but will

Move out in a year and vacancy kills landlords.

Maria G. · Answer

@Greg M.: Another good point about A is that one will almost never be home (super busy resident) and the other works part-time at home and takes the dog to the office. So very little wear and tear...

Michael Deering · Answer

Drop the cop.  Try asking them to bid up the rent

Adam Martin · Answer

I'd also choose c assuming the spouse works part time and is not a part time side chick.  My area also doesn't allow dibs on first so I select the best qualified.  D would never have applied since I don't allow cats and income isn't 3x rent, they wasted their money.  A and B are also good but I'd put A as a close 2nd and depending on other factors could inch into 1st place depending on what they said their long term plans are.  I'm usually looking for long term renters so an adult living with their parents most likely wouldn't meet that, especially if the mom is in real estate.

Jonathan R McLaughlin · Answer

No bad options, hopefully candidate "A" submitted their application first.

What candidate would you prefer?

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