Rental Advertisement Advice - Tacoma

[Caroline Hedin]

A year later and we're finally ready to rent.  I'd love feedback from anyone in Washington State (in particular the Tacoma area) on our advertisement.  We've done quite a bit of research and seem to be within the law...but this is our first so I'd like to be as certain as we can.  Following is the advertisement (followed by photos):

Property Description

Property Title

House near PLU

Property Description

We are renting a newly renovated home just a couple of blocks from PLU. Refinished hardwood floors in many areas, one carpeted bedroom, and new laminate in the master bedroom. Large backyard and simple, easy to maintain landscaping. Incredible view of Mount Rainier!

Washer and dryer are provided in the laundry room, a new high efficiency furnace has been installed, kitchen and bathroom have been completely refinished. Includes a dishwasher. New roof to be installed in next month.
Note: fireplace in master bedroom is non-working.

QUALIFICATIONS:
Gross income must be three times the rent and must be documentable (meaning income must be $3,750/month or $45,000/year)
No evictions or foreclosures in the last 5 years
No felonies or other criminal activities in the last 10 years
Landlord contact information for last two places you've lived or the last two years - whichever provides more contacts
Co-signer is acceptable if you have no rental history (co-signer must meet all standards and may be subject to additional requirements upon review)
No pets/animals over one pound - no exceptions
All occupants must be on the original lease (no sub-leasing)
All occupants must be met by property manager/owner (exceptions for military personal with recommendations and contact information for commanding officers)
Maximum occupancy = 4 adults or 2 adults + 3 children
12 month lease
No Section 8

Required for Move-in:
1st months rent ($1,250+$48)
Last months rent ($1,250+$48)
Damage Deposit ($750)
Utility Deposit ($150)
TOTAL $3,496

Rental application fee paid by tenant. Online application. $35
Must have valid US social security number

Blocks from PLU, Wilson High School and Keithly Middle School. Moments to 512 and one exit from I-5. Minutes from JBLM and McChord AFB.

[Kyle J.]

Looks like a nice house.  I'm not in Washington but I'll give you my feedback anyway.  :)

I don't see where it clearly states how many bedrooms and baths there are or anything about the size of the house.  (You'll get a lot of time-consuming calls about that if it's not clear in the ad.)

Also, what's the +$48 for after the rent amount?  Maybe that's a local thing, but I don't quite get it.  Is it some sort of utility you're billing for?

And just a couple thoughts on your qualifications.  With regard to the one about "No evictions or foreclosures in the last 5 years", there's nothing wrong with having that as a criteria.  I also have a "no eviction" criteria (though mine is "no evictions ever").  But (in my own experience) some of my best tenants have become my tenants right after they lost their house to foreclosure.  I've found that they know what it's like to own a house (so they tend to complain less about little things and take better care of the house), and their credit is usually so messed up that I don't have to worry about them buying another house or moving for a while.  Just something to consider.  You could miss out on some good tenants.

Lastly, with regard to your qualification about "No felonies or other criminal activities in the last 10 years".  I would just suggest maybe clarifying that a little better.  For instance, what do you mean by "criminal activity"?  (In some jurisdictions, a landlord cannot consider an arrest that did not result in a conviction.)  And while we can all understand you not wanting any felons, what about a relatively minor misdemeanor from nine years ago on an otherwise stellar candidate's record?  Not trying to tell you who you should or should not accept, but there can be a big difference in types/severity of crimes, frequency (one time thing vs someone constantly getting arrested), and length of time since they were last arrested.   For what it's worth, I word mine like this "No prior criminal convictions in the last 5 years for violent acts, drugs and/or any felonies."  

Anyway, just some things to think about.  Good luck with your new rental!