Allow a 4+ Year Lease?

[Francis A.]

Interviewing husband and wife applicants to lease our almost new rental home in a new neighborhood in California. He serves in the Canadian military and will be working on a U.S. base nearby for the coming years. Says his commander requires him to find a rental with a lease term of exactly 4 years and 4 months for a set rent amount, that he can break if he's transferred to another base. Will not do a renewable term lease or allow me to make any adjustments to the contract or rent for the entire time. Our rental market is heating up, but they are willing to pay almost 15% above current market rent to lock it in for the duration. They seem nice and passed background and credit checks. But would it be wise for me to sign such a long lease with tenants I don't know in such a nice house that I want to take good care of?

[Princeton Washington]

I mean I don't see why it would be a problem? You're getting what you want as a property manager and they're even allowing you to just the terms of the lease as you go. It's one of those situations I think where you need to go with your gut. Does the situation feel right? Are these tennants you feel like you can trust?