Do I have to show my property to everyone?

[Derek Morrison]

I'm rereading Brandon's book on Managing rental properties and he mentions that you need to give everyone an opportunity to apply, even if they don't meet the minimum criteria you have set. Do I also need to show my property to everyone who asks, even if they don't meet the minimum criteria? I don't wanna waste time if I know they aren't gonna qualify, but I don't want to be accused of violating fair housing laws here

[Dennis McNeely]

We screen first, telling tenants that we don't accept smokers, we want a 670 credit score or more, that we want them to bring verifiable gross monthly income at least 3x the monthly rental to any showing we set up, etc. Tell them you intend to run a credit and background check, and tell them what it costs per adult applicant. Many tenants will screen themselves out during this conversation.

If you are showing property only to one interested party at a time, I've found it best to tell them to call 30 minutes or an hour ahead of the showing to confirm they intend to show up. Many don't, effectively screening themselves out here too.

To avoid wasting time, you can set up multiple showings at nearly the same time - assuming you're getting enough interest from prospective tenants. The presence of other prospects can drive home a sense of urgency in those who do show up, and hopefully one or more will meet your screening requirements.

Best of luck!