Tenant Application Process?

[Nathan Vandermost]

Curious on the general tenant application process for residential properties? Do you use software? If so, which ones? Do you require a background check? Do you require a credit check? If a prospective client wants to see a property, do you schedule a showing and then if they are interested, ask them to fill out an application? Then run a background / credit check? Curious on the interest of an automated application process via text? 

[Rick Albert]

I like mysmartmove.com for background and credit checks. However the last rental on the market I did everything through Tenant Cloud because it was easier.

100% you need to do a background and credit check. 

I tend to hold open houses for my rentals. I get so many flakes that I don't have the time to keep going back and forth. By way of example once I got 50 inquiries, 17 schedules showings during my open house, and only two people showed up.

Some people ask for an application up front, but some tenants might not feel comfortable with it because (1) scams and (2) if they don't like the place then why bother applying? Just like you don't want to waste your time, it goes for them as well.

Good luck!