Has this ever happened to you? (smartmove)

Question

Whenever I show the house I get people to do the paper application if they are interested. After I verify everything I send them the link for the SmartMove and it just sits there. I tell them before hand that I will be sending this to them and they never fill this thing out.

Is this something that happens to you often? Is there any reason why someone may have trouble with this? Is it them just being lazy? Or are they really not that interested?

This is the last step of the check and no one is doing this for me. Thoughts?

Colleen F. · Answer

@Joseph Weisenbloom the only time I felt bad about credit checking both was this last time when I had these two kids, he is just starting grad school and she just graduated. I know they have just about no furniture as they said they are in a furnished place . They didn't blink though. They wanted a year round place which is hard to find here and I wanted to be sure they had a history of paying their bills. I sent them the link and they paid. I thought about just doing one but basically they were equally contributing. The main thing they cared about was that I made the decision relatively quickly rather then let them stew for a while. If you use the next in line philosophy for your credit checks I don't think people will blink unless of course tenants don't usually have to pay for credit checks by you. @Brianna S. I wish I was as organized as you on showings!

Brie Schmidt · Answer

it is a personal preference. I do my showings Thu night and Sat day. Applications due Sunday at 5. Then I review and call my #1 to do the credit check. Only once have I had a fail. If so then I call #2 and do the credit check.

Colleen F. · Answer

I do what @Brianna S. does I run a credit check when they are first in line. If you reject for credit you have to send them a notification so I exhaust the rest of it first. Only one candidate gets a credit check at a time. I can take a few paper applications and decide who to run based on other points. I can ask that candidate for any other documentation. They can scan or fax it. I also say upfront I am not looking for a credit score I am looking for evidence they pay their bills on time that makes people with lower scores less worried and I do mean it. I like to see lots of those little on time payments on the report. @Rodney Kuhl why don't you just say to her you haven't receive her credit check so you will move on to the next candidate. See what she does. @Joseph Weisenbloom you could collect checks but I hate to do that. I wrote up a letter on my application process that outlines how it works that I give them with the application (by paper or email). Mainly I did it to drive home that without a deposit and a signed lease it isn't your place. If they really are first in line when you run the credit check say that verbally and in writing. You could also say that if you don't hear from them within a certain time period you will move on to the next applicant. If they don't respond to the credit check they just might not be interested. And always mention to them that there are other applicants, it pushes them to move.

Joseph Weisenbloom · Answer

@Colleen F. I have them pay for it. I was thinking of switching it up and collecting the $30 at the showing and then pay for it with that. That way it may expedite the process? I only advertise via internet so I assume they are savvy enough to figure it out. I even warn them about checking the spam box. @Brianna S. So I need to let them know that they have a good chance of being approved pending this check? Should I have them bring paystubs to the showing to expedite?

Brie Schmidt · Answer

Yea, I have never had this problem. Most of mine do it within 30 minutes. But I do not charge an application fee and then I narrow it down to my #1 and tell them the place is theirs pending a credit check and immediately do the paperwork - that way they don't pay until they know it is 90% theirs. I think if they had to pay and did not know that was the last step and they were they final choice they may not

Bill S. · Answer

@Joseph Weisenbloom I do credit, eviction, and criminal background checks through a local company.

Johann Jells · Answer

Why are you not doing the checks yourself with a svc like Mrlandlord.com? I've been using them for a decade, I think it's $15 for credit and eviction. Tenant fills in my application with a credit check release, and I run it if I think they're serious. I don't charge, yeah I've run a few extra at times, though only a few times do I recall someone I approved refusing the apt. But in the big picture it's worth not dealing with asking for a credit check fee.

Joseph Weisenbloom · Answer

@Bill S. You raise a good point that at what point is it counter productive to continue to get information. I know I was a renter for many years and always paid my rent on time/took care of the place but I would consider the step of doing a credit/background check as intrusive. What I'm saying is I wouldn't want to ward off a tenant like myself from renting the house. I'm not sure if this is me telling myself the wrong thing or what. So are you not doing background/credit checks on tenants?

Joseph Weisenbloom · Answer

I have a new development on my progress. @Brianna S. @Colleen F. . I called SmartMove today because the application was marked "Identity verification pending" and they said that this happened because the tenant answered one of the security questions wrong so it locked them out! They said that they needed her to call SmartMove to work it out. I have her call them and then she tells me that I need to send her a new application. So now she is in the process of filling in a new application and hopefully they doesn't mess it up again. Quite a process!! Has anyone else experienced this?

Bill S. · Answer

Based on what you have described, smartmove may not be so smart. For me I want the fewest barriers to my application process and the lease brain damage to the tenant. Don't get me wrong, I want as much information as possible but get me the paper application and cash or check for the application fee. That's the last they hear from me unless they get the place. Sounds like smartmove takes too much effort on the part of the applicants. Let's see, click on this link and spend more time divulging personal information over the internet or wait (watch TV) until I hear back from that Bill S. guy. Your process is easy for you but sounds like a pain for applicants. Sure it only collects info from the really serious ones but at what cost to you in the form of vacancies? Just my 2 cents.