How to screen tenants properly?

Question

Hello BP forum,

I'm new in the small income property business. I have heard many horror stories from colleges about  bad tenants and evictions.

Can anyone recommend a good book, website or information of how to screen for good tenants?

Thanks

Eduardo

Account Closed · Answer

Hi Eduardo,

Great question!  Poor applicant screening is a common mistake a lot of people make.  Here is how we screen our applicants: http://www.jmbgrouppm.com/blog/item/22-how-to-scre...

We have refined this process throughout the years to find the best quality tenants in the shortest timeframe for our personal and client properties.  Please let me know if you have any further questions.

Eliott Elias · Answer

I use go4rent, gives me tenants income, background, credit, bank statements. Expert tip: check the tenants Facebook, today I had a potential tenant who looked good on paper post about his eviction today.

Jonathan R McLaughlin · Answer

wow this was an old thread. OOPS :)

Jonathan R McLaughlin · Answer

@Lee Smith I've seen this advice before and disagree with it completely. If you can't tell someone "no" and own it you should get a professional PM. And what are you doing that is against your conscience?

Lee Smith · Answer

To each their own. I have found it cuts off all the excuses and stories and mischief... I am married, so I actually have a spouse(my boss) I have to answer to.. 
	
	My experiences are, that no matter how nice i am when i say no, they get mad. Being 6'3" when they get mad they take it out on the properties or they become the squeaky wheel that gets greased. Explaining that I am not the only one in charge generally keeps them more agreeable, and less hassles for me.
	
	If a tenant doesn't pay, then they become my charity. I give to charities of my choice.. Tenants are not my charity of choice...

Dawn Anastasi · Answer

Brandon wrote a blog post on this and Ben wrote a counter-article.  Personally I do not agree.  My tenants know I am the owner.

Lee Smith · Answer

If you are going to manage your own properties, NEVER ADMIT YOU OWN THEM!!!  I always tell tenants "I need to check with the owner!"  Then I can make "the owner" out to be the bad guy... "Man, I really went to bat for you, but the owner is just really hardcore.. He said NO!"... To make my conscience feel good, i always go home and ask the wife, or dog "You want to let them do this?" The dog is the owner... He makes my life miserable if he doesn't get to eat!

Eduardo Huerta · Answer

Thank you guys!

I really appreciate it.

Eduardo

Lisa Wright · Answer

Lately I've done all of tenant screening and background checks with http://www.myrental.com. I use the "Tenant Score with Criminal" package which includes everything from their renting history to a criminal background search. It's inexpensive and covers all of your bases. I've already weeded out a few potential risks. Definitely worth checking out!

Huy N. · Answer

you come to the right place @Eduardo Huerta , check out the bigger pockets tenants screening guide. that's pretty much everything you need to follow

http://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2013/01/27/tenant-screening/

Or just let an experienced property manager handle it for you.