how do you guys blow off obvious time wasters?

Question

how do you guys get rid of tenants that you know you dont want? these people call wanting to see the place right away.  and boy do i hate showing a place to people who waste my time.  just from getting the person's name and number, i can sometimes see they're in bankruptcy, or have liens against them, or whatnot, just from searching public sites.  i've tried ignoring these people.  i also ask them to fill out a preliminary app, which states they will have to do a credit check.  can i legally just tell them i dont like what i've found out about them from public records search? or is that too insulting? lol

Frank Chin · Answer

I somewhere a long the line went to open houses. I got ads in Craigslist, Zillow, etc. and I answer calls on where the property is, it's size, condition, and suggest they come take a look for themselves.

When I started, I do individual showings, vet them over the phone or mail, and that turn out to the biggest time wasters, for the following reasons:

1. People do not tell you every thing before hand, or lie, so when you make the appointment, then find out they're unqualified, you wasted your entire time and effort. My wife would never give info the people unseen, either by e-mail, phone etc. I have read recently identity thefts are carried out by advertising non-existent rentals and asking people for info on the pretext of vetting them. What better way to get info from you by saying "if you don't give me what I need to vet, forget about renting." Better than phishing.

2. About 50% of the folks who make appointments don't show up, drive slowly by the property and drive on because they don't like the neighborhood. I had one who skipped out on two appointments where I had to leave work early, but finally came on the third. Very rude. I foolishly rented to him and he turned out to be a crooked cop, arrested later for bribery and extortion. On his departure, took up my carpeting with him. I caught him doing it, my carpet was rolled up in the hallway, and he made the excuse he thought it was his, and he'll put it back. When I came back later, he was gone with the carpet. BTW, since he worked for the police department, lived home with mom, all the info on hand is good. It doesn't tell me he does bribery and extortion. His behavior does.

3. The most important issue for me in dealing with tenants is their personality. That I cannot determine vetting with paperwork. I have to determine it in interactions with the prospects. Some are jovial, others more reserved, others are, I guess I shouldn't say. A former boss of mine taught me to tell bad jokes and see how they react. My wife did an open house once, thought one prospect was OK to go further, but he insisted on paying us $100, which she refused, but he insisted, because he's going on a trip. She ask me to pick up the check so he won't keep calling, I met him, told my bad joke, he went bananas, his face turning beet red, a totally different person. Two minutes later, realizing what he's done, stopped, apologized. A few days later, advised him we're returning his check. He threatened to find us, kill us, because we wasted his time.

4. Doing open houses allows me to give tenants a time frame for making a decision, so I won't have to say I'm turning you down for this, that, or the other thing right there. I usually have 20-40 people showing up at a open house, where I pick up a dozen applications. When they ask, I'll say I need time to review them all and give every one a equal chance. After a few days, if they call, I would apologize if they're not picked, would've love to have them, but unfortunately I can only pick one.

5. When I did preliminary vettings, if I expressed an opinion they're not what I'm looking for, I get into heated arguments over discrimination. Once I had a small one bedroom for rent, someone with a family of four insisted on coming and I said it's a bit small. He ranted for a few minutes on how he's discriminated against. Thought showing it would be a waste of time both for him and me. With a open house, I would say "by all means, come and see". If he ask later, I just say it's rented, sorry, so many people want the place.

6. Some people insist I have to rent to them because they saw it first, and very insistent about it, saying it's the law. With a crowded open house, I don't hear that anymore.

All in all, that's my rant on time wasters.

Mike S. · Answer

Prescreen.  Ask them income, job, number of people, whether they smoke or not, what there credit is, why they are moving, etc.  Do not show to anyone who hasn't answered these questions to your liking.  Format your questions into a document that you can send out.  The self aware unqualified will self screen and not even go further.  Screen the rest and don't waste any more time.

Frank Chin · Answer

In the most memorable case I described above, two young guys wanted the place, and one of them want to leave $100.00 with us that we normally wouldn't take till we vetted the finalist. My wife urged me to make an exception. When I met the guy, after some small talk, I said "you guys don't plan to hold wild parties here, do you?" in a kidding tone. When he heard that, his face turned beet red, and shouted "who do you think you are accusing us of holding wild parties". Normally, good humored people would say "yeh, you can join us". Others more introverted would just say "we're not the type".  But the blowup tells me the person is somewhat unhinged and I'll have future issues. He called a few times afterwards threatening to kill us.

How people react to things is something I cannot determine from credit reports and other public information, but very important for ease of management. I had my share of wise guys.

I want to comment further on tire kickers that waste your time. I once had a open house, where there were over 20 people present at one point, and one guy really wanted the place. When he mentioned his wife is a senior VP at the local utility making $125K a year, I was very interested. It was the beginning of May but he wanted to rent up as of July first to give his current landlord some breathing room. When I heard that, I was disappointed, that the place would be empty for two months. So I pointed to the crowd at the place, said "a few people really want it right away, and waiting two months would put you on the bottom of the list" His replied "I could see that, I'll call my landlord right away tonight and see what we could do". So he called his landlord that night, described the packed open house, his landlord agreed to let him out of the lease right away, and he rented from me the next day after I ran the credit and employment checks.

On this occasion, I knew half the group present were tire kickers, had I vetted some of these, I wouldn't have them come. But why would I do that if their presence help me to get two more months rent that I wouldn't have. Actually, it's not the only time it happened. And I would have wasted time vetting them.

But why someone whose wife make $125K a year, plus bonus, with his job making $60K, rents, I don't understand to this very day. But he stayed with me for 12 plus years till his kids graduated college, with his son earning a doctorate, then moved to another rental.

Brie Schmidt · Answer

I list everything including requirements in the ad.  When they reach out I ask if they meet the requirements and if they have any questions.  Chances are any questions can be answered by reading the ad so if they ask me something that is in ad, I direct them to read it again and contact me once they have fully understood the ad.  It makes me sounds like an ass but the reality is, if they can't read or follow direction I do not want them.

I do not schedule individual showings.  I will only show it for a 2 hour window Thursday after work and Saturday afternoon.  I will not accommodate their schedule and feel if they are serious that will make my schedule work

Nathan Gesner · Answer

I pre-screen, as well.

I ask if they have any animals (pets or service animals). I then let them know our requirement is that they make 3x the rent and it be verifiable, that we run a full credit/criminal background, and we check references. That short conversation gets rid of almost all of the time wasters.

Max T. · Answer

I send them my prescreening questions via google form over email, just like everyone else who contacts me about a rental.

Matthew Paul · Answer

I have been getting lots of inquires from Facebook market place . I simply text them , " I am showing Sunday between 9 and 11 . Please go back and read the entire ad "  .     ( all the info they need is in the ad )  I do get a few that say they cant be there on a Sunday , I tell them sorry thats when we show it .

Sylvia B. · Answer

What do you mean by a "bad joke"? Do you mean a dumb joke like 10 year-olds tell, one that makes you groan, an insulting ethnic/racial joke, or a dirty joke?

Rachel Jacobson · Answer

I agree that prescreening is a great way to eliminate the time wasters. Write up a generic email you can copy and paste with some questions: when are they moving, why are they moving, do they have any pets, will they meet your credit and income requirements, etc. Make the email a bit longer than normal. The people who take the time to read it and respond to your questions are interested. If they reply without answering your questions, then they don't get a showing.

Legally, I would not tell someone you don't want to rent to them before they even apply. Even if you're basing your decision off of financial data you have found, it may appear like discrimination if you haven't processed their application. Prescreening can help eliminate some of the hassle without risking a fair housing complaint.

Mark Ainley · Answer

@George V. My post is very brief but happy to jump on a quick 10-minute call to breakdown how we do it.  We get about 225 inquiries a week on average, schedule 40-50 per week and no one talks to anyone until we get to the mass showing.

I am happy to share on here our prescreening questions if anyone is interested!

how do you guys blow off obvious time wasters?

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