Found the Tenant!!! (and more questions!)

[Sam Schlacter]

After my multiple posts on all your help in how-to help on screening and other related rental criteria, I have finally found the tenant who is signing the lease on Saturday! To anyone interested from my previous post, I ended up ruling out all those previous applicants. Found this couple who individually has low income but has a decent combined income, no recent issues , no evictions ever, not great credit but no past due bills or collections in last 2-3 yrs ( the wife had collection issue prior to 2-3 yrs while studying), very good rental reference, verified employment reference. They filled every detail in the application form and then some more, which gave me a good indication even before I did the screening that they were giving as much information as possible to me.

I have decided to offer the lease to them and as a newbie learning, I have even more questions.

1.) They want to move-in on March 1st. We are doing lease on 16 February. Do I have to give them keys after the lease or do I give them keys just prior to they move in? I need to still do couple of touch ups in the house.

2.) In the lease, what is the norm for the renewal notice period? On a 1 yr lease, is it common to give lease renewal 90 days before and expect their answer at least 60 days before?

3.) Move-in check list - Do I leave this check list at the property prior to their move and ask them to complete and send it back to me in 3 days upon their move? Or do I physically walk in the property with the tenant on the day of move and have them sign it?

4.) Is it good idea to take video of the property prior to the tenant's move? Or is it sufficient to take digital photos which are watermarked with the date?

5.) I have couple of lease document formats. One of that is forwarded to me by a friend which seem to be produced by Florida Realtor Association based on the heading on it. Can I use that or can only the Realtor use it?

I can not thank enough all of you for your support and advice so far. It has helped me a lot until now in getting going in this new field of investment for me. I hope to hear your opinion on these few more questions. I will post my property deal details soon as I feel I should share it with this community.

Thanks,
Sam