Renting to Out Of State Tenant

[Art Maydan]

I listed the bottom unit in the duplex my wife and I just bought two days ago and haven’t gotten any good prospects yet. I found a tenant through Zumper who’s a business guy in his 50s who’s moving from AZ to Chicago and whose family will follow when the school year ends. He probably wouldn’t stay more than 9 months, but sounds like the perfect tenant.

I signed up with MySmartMove and sent him a link. He completed it and his report is spotless and he makes way more than enough to rent this place. He wants to move in November 1. I’m not sure how to proceed from here. I don’t want to look as inexperienced as I am in front of my prospective tenant.

• 1.When I click the “Accept Applicant” button on MySmartMove, what happens? Do they facilitate a lease signing too, or do they only screen?
• 2.Should I have him sign a lease over the internet and he can just move in November 1?
• 3.Where would you suggest I find a lease without branding?
• 4.Would you go with this applicant or try to find someone who wants to stay for longer? If he leaves in the summer, re-renting it should be easy. And one middle aged guy should be pretty easy on the unit.
• 5.Once the lease is signed, is that it? I just hand him the keys when he arrives?

Thank you!