Multiple Tenant Selection

[Kenneth Garrett]

Just curious when you have multiple tenants interested in your rental property (Single Family House) do you have them all fill out an application and complete your screening process or do you pick the best qualified based on your conversations and meeting when you walk them through the property.  I tend to pick the best based on my instinct.  So far my instinct has been pretty good.  Usually have a tenant in 10 days.  

[Thomas S.]

Instinct is useless, facts are all that matter. Applicants are not people only a collection of facts until the screening is completed.

Your instinct may have been pretty good so far but only by pure luck not skill. You will learn that lesson very quickly when you accept your first professional tenant. They rely on hobby landlords going on gut feelings and instinct.

Take applications from every interested person, pre screen then proceed with screening the most likely best qualified.

Any applications that are not fully completed throw in the garbage.