Tenant Applicants & Compensating Factors

[Seth Wilcock]

Hello, I recently received a call from a prospective tenant applicant that sounds like they are hitting all the criteria for my Tenant "wish list" with the exception that their job will be ending a couple months after the proposed "move-in" date.  The tenants job is seasonal in nature, but she has been doing this for about 4 years now, and every year she been able to gain employment with this employer.  She said her credit scores are in the mid 700's, and around the time that her employment ends, her sister will be moving into the property and also earning an income.  The sister will also be screened appropriately and added to the lease before I would consider letting either one move in.  

I guess I am curious to see if anyone has encountered an issue like this, and what acceptable compensating factors other people have been willing to take (other than 2x security deposit).  My other question, is that no one's employment is "guaranteed" by any means, and a tenant could always change jobs after they move in anyway, so technically I wouldn't have found out about this without the tenant telling me in the first place.  Thoughts?