Tenant Screening Tips

[Tony Castronovo]

I'm working on just my third property (one being a flip and the other a rental where I used an agent / property management company).  I am going DIY on this one to find a tenant.  So far, I setup a listing on Cozy and Zillow, prepared a rental application, and wrote a lease agreement.  I've had the property on the market for a week and have been inundated with inquiries.

I received several completed apps and had a couple of "good" candidates that I ran through credit/background.  My perspective on credit and financial status has certainly changed through this process.

I started to check references and quickly realized I was like a fish out of water.  Landlords required formal written inquiries.  Employers passed the buck to various supervisors and ultimately HR.  Honestly, I don't even know the right questions to ask.  Am I trying to see if the person actually works there....trying to verify salary....whether they are an outstanding employee???

Does it make sense to contact personal references?  I figure these are "friends" who would just say kind words no matter what.

Trying not to waste anyone's time, especially my own.  For those of you who screen your own tenants, what process do you follow?  What questions do you ask?