Preparing to Rent - application 1st?

Question

I’ve read previous posts on this topic but am curious if the sentiment has changed over the years.  I am not a new landlord but the homes that I have rented in past were homes that I didn’t currently live in.  The home that I am now posting I am in the process of moving out of and into a new home.  My concern in my market, as I prepare to rent the home out, is protecting my home and valuables.  I’ve read that tenants do not want to apply even at a low cost before seeing the property which I understand.  Are there ways to protect both  tenant and homeowner in this scenario?  I showed a previous home to what ended up being a complete scammer but in that case, I wasn’t as worried because me nor my children lived in the home.  Is it just the risk we take and go about as much prescreening by phone before showing?  Thank you for your expertise.

Nathan Gesner · Answer

It's a personal choice. If you are concerned about safety, then only show it after pre-screening. Make a record of who you are showing it to (copy of Picture ID, write down license plate number, etc.) to reduce the likelihood of a crime. Do a Google search for "REALTOR safety during showing" and you'll get plenty of tips.

I start marketing rentals 15-30 days prior to lease termination. In a hot market, most applicants can look past the current occupants belongings and see if the rental meets their needs. We typically have a new renter lined up before the old one vacates and have to force some vacancy to allow for turnover.

Wesley W. · Answer

As always, @Bjorn Ahlblad and @Nathan G. are on point with their advice.  As stated, it is all about pre-screening in order to make your efforts more efficient as well as avoiding "the sketch" walking through your home.

Here is my system that I have shared on the forums previously.  My portfolio is C-class apartments, but I am sure you can adapt any part of this process that works for you.

It all starts with online ads, within which are several questions I request be answered in their response to my ad. Here they are:

1.) Your first and last name, email address and phone number2.) Total number of people that would occupy the apartment3.) Proposed pets (size/breeds)4.) Monthly pre-tax income for household5.) Date you wish to move in

6.) Do you currently have enough funds to pay first month’s rent and a security deposit?

(I used to collect last month's rent as well, which I highly encourage, especially for a SFR, but it recently became prohibited in NYS.)

Next, here's a canned email response I use for everyone who answers my ad with the aforementioned questions answered. If they don't answer my questions, I know they have not read the ad and are just clicking and "tire kicking" or they lack the intellectual focus for me to have any business relationship with them.I market on Craiglist and Zillow and get great leads from both in my market. Problem with Zillow is they have this annoying "1-click reply" where people can just click on your ad without reading it and you get an automated message "Joe is interested in your apartment at 123 Main St." To these responses I just cut/paste the ad narrative into an email reply. This is a waste of my time, but I am stuck with it if I want to market through them.

Here is the email response:

Thank you for your interest. We have a minimum income requirement to qualify for this unit (3 times monthly rent); based on your email, it appears you meet those qualifications.

Regarding pets, we allow cats and most dog breeds except for the following:

• -any breeds/mixes known under common parlance as “Pit Bull”
• -Rottweiler
• -Doberman Pinscher
• -German Shepherd
• -Alaskan Malamute a.k.a “Husky”
• -Chow Chow
• -Great Dane
• -St. Bernard
• -Akita
• -Wolf hybrids

Unfortunately, these are prohibited for insurance reasons. Keeping pets requires a one-time nonrefundable pet fee of $200 (per pet) as well as an additional $20 monthly rent for each approved pet. As pet lovers ourselves, we typically like to meet your pets at some point in the process, too.

Our tenants’ safety and the peaceful enjoyment of their home is important to us, so we do a credit/criminal background check on all applicants aged 18+. Big concerns are bankruptcies/repossessions/evictions and crimes against people/property. We can provide a complete list of our qualifying criteria upon request. If you don't foresee any major stumbling blocks (or, if you do, and would like to discuss further - we can certainly do that), I'd be happy to set up a showing for you. Let me know what you think.

As a matter of information, smoking is prohibited inside our rental units.

If you decide that the apartment would meet your needs and wish to proceed with the application process, a “deposit to hold” binder equal to a month’s rent would need to be collected at that time. This holds the unit for 5 to 7 days until the lease signing, and once the rental agreement is signed this becomes the first month's rent. At the lease signing, you will need to put down another $1650, which will be the security deposit ($825) and last month's rent ($825). So, the total move-in costs (not including pet fees, if applicable) would be $2475, all paid prior to lease signing.

Also, we would need copies of the two most recent pay stubs and photo ID for all applicants aged 18+ (I can scan at the showing) to begin the verification process, which only takes a few days.

Since choosing a place to live is a very personal decision, please feel free to do a “drive by” of the property, located at 123 Main St, so you can get a “feel” for the neighborhood. (I will ask that, out of respect for our current tenants’ security and privacy, to please wait until your showing appointment before walking the property.)

If everything above is agreeable to you, let me know your availability and I'd be happy to take you through the apartment.

Thank you, and I look forward to meeting you at the showing!

Note how I reiterate the qualifying criteria as well as itemizing what the move-in costs will be. I also suggest a drive-by so they are not unpleasantly surprised by the neighborhood when they to the showing, and just keep on driving by anonymously as I wait outside. This email gives people yet another opportunity to self-select out of the application process based on my expectations and criteria before an actual showing in scheduled.

If they do request a showing, I send them this email:

Hi Sally,

Please read this entire email.

How about a showing on Thursday at 7 pm? If that works for you, please reply to this email within 24 hours to accept this appointment and I will then add you to my showing schedule.

Also, as a means of courtesy to both our busy schedules, please confirm via text or phone call at least 2 hours prior on the day of the showing to my cell phone (area code and number).

I’ve also attached our rental application. I will have hard copies at the showing, but if you print and fill them out prior to the showing, this would save us both some time should you want to expedite your application in the process.

I look forward to meeting you on Thursday!

If they have not confirmed an hour prior to their appointment, I send this text to their phone (which was required as part of their contact information I required in the response to my ad):

As I had requested in my email, you have not yet confirmed your apartment showing for this evening, scheduled for 7:00pm. If I don’t hear from you in the next 10 minutes, I will assume you aren’t attending and I will move on to my next appointment.

Using this system as dramatically reduced any wasted time I used to endure as part of the showing process as well as giving me data about their timeliness/responsiveness/respect for others' time.

At the showing, I collect their completed application (sent via PDF prior or filled out on premises), scan their photo ID and last 2 pay stubs.

Then, I do some digging around online (social media, court records, Google) and if it looks like they are representing themselves to me accurately, I contact them to set up a "contract to hold" meeting - usually the day after the showing since qualified applicants need to be "closed" ASAP. (During this whole time I continue to market/show the unit. I continue to funnel people into my process until a lease is signed.) Note that I do not put a lot of time into due diligence until the "contract to hold" meeting, when they put some skin in the game.

At the "contract to hold" meeting, I collect an amount equal to one month's rent. I ONLY accept cash or a check drawn on a local bank (so I can walk it in and get cash that same day). We sign an agreement that commits their non-refundable payment for a brief period (usually 5 days), during which time I call landlords, employers, and run background checks. If there is anything untoward, I have a 7 day right of rescission and I give the money back. I absorb the background check fee as it is a small price to pay for dodging the bullet.

Once background checks are complete, we meet again for a lease signing, at which point I collect the rest of the move-in fees. I only give them a short time (about 5 days) to meet for the lease signing before they lose their exclusive rights to the unit, so this prevents someone from dragging their feet after they've signed the contract to hold.

Once the lease is signed, I take down the ads and send out emails to people in mid-marketing flow letting them know that the apartment has been rented but I will reach out if something falls through.

Bjorn Ahlblad · Answer

Welcome to BP! We don't spend any time showing properties to unqualified or borderline applicants. Instead we focus on the pre-screening. People get distracted by other people's stuff, we generally don't show a unit unless it is rent ready. Our vacancy rate is extremely low and this works for us.

Preparing to Rent - application 1st?

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