Issue Finding Tenants

[Thomas Smith]

We have had our apartment listed for a little over a month and have no found a viable tenant. The apartment has been updated and is priced competitively within our local market. We have a lot of interest from different listing sources (Zillow, Trulia, Apartments.com, Facebook, Craigslist etc), but that's where things start to fizzle out. Before we agree to show our apartment we have a brief pre-showing application that we ask them to fill out. Once we send the application, interest in our unit all but ceases. We have had 3 showings out of 45 initial inquiries. Here's what the application contains:

Name:

Current address:

Time at current address:

Own, rent, other (specify if other)

Can you provide proof of current address? (i.e. lease or utility bill)

Do I have permission to contact your current landlord (if applicable):

Previous address (if at current address less than 12 months):

Current employer:

Current employer phone number:

Previous employer (if at current job less than 12 months):

Previous employer phone number (if applicable):

Do I have permission to contact your current and/or previous employer:

Current monthly income:

How many people will be moving into the apartment?

What type of pets do you have?

Have you ever been evicted?

Are you willing to complete a background check?

Are you willing to complete a credit check?

*$39.99 fee for background and credit check*- applicable at lease signing.

Will you be able to provide security deposit ($1,100) and first month’s rent ($1,100) in full, up front?

I think these are all reasonable questions to ask before agreeing to show the unit. I would love feedback as to what could be causing the lost interest. Are the questions too intrusive? 

Thanks in advance

[Marc Winter]

Initial screening questions might be:  how soon are you looking to move?  How many bedrooms/baths do you require?  The rent is $x--to you have monthly gross income of $3x?

These questions will weed out some tire-kickers, and once the prospect sees the unit and expresses the desire to rent it, THEN I'd have them go through the application process.

Also, try to schedule multiple showings at the same time:  it creates an 'auction' type atmosphere and will prompt a prospect to take action faster (fear of losing it to someone else).