Tip for Tenant Screening! (ESP as owner occupant)

[Kyle Curtin]

Hi everyone! 

   I wanted to share a small tip that I just discovered after something very “interesting” happened when listing one of the units in my building that I owner occupy!

I posted the unit to Facebook marketplace without an address, and also have been utilizing the Zillow rental manager platform to post there as well. On Zillow, the address and unit number posts (no surprise there haha!), and I ended up having a potential tenant (not anymore after doing this!) SHOW UP completely unexpected and unannounced to my property. He was asking questions that were clearly in the post that he didn’t read and proceeded to ask me “when he could move in” and I mentioned that he has to do the same pre screening process as everyone else and that I am not showing the unit yet. I took down his name and number with no intention of calling him back just to get him to leave. I was more or less in shock that someone literally just came to my property completely unexpected, bothered one of my tenants, and tried to make a deal with me haha! 

I have told this story to some of the investors in my network with the goal of getting some laughs, but also to keep in mind that this is something that I realized can happen regardless of whether you are owner occupying the building or not. I did get a tip from a few investors to make sure you write in the description “by appointment only” or “no trespassing” etc. to try to prevent something like this happening in the future.

Has anyone had anything like this happen before? How did you work it out?

[Cliff H.]

@Kyle Curtin welcome to the crazy world of tenant screening (and the local New England market)! I could write a book on the all the interactions I've had with the folks who show up off the street, knock on doors, walk into a house tailgating on someone else's showing ("Are you with them? How'd you get in here again?"), and/or expect to move in the next day (often because they're being told to leave from their current PM the same day!). 

What you're sharing illustrates the need for a proven, consistent, reliable system that ensures prospective applicants follow the same process and rules across the board, shields you from claims of housing discrimination, and keeps you sane by pre-screening unqualified window shoppers from the qualified, respectful, long term tenants you ultimately are seeking yourself. 

I've often said, the worst thing any self-managing owner can do is put a "For Rent" sign with a phone number in the yard. Why? That number knows nothing about your rental standards, move-in requirements, or schedule/availability. Anyone can call it or show up, including those with ill-intents or a dangerous past that you, as a realtor, leasing agent, or owner want nothing to do with. The stories and statistics on the dangers around meeting strangers in person are sobering, but well worth understanding. 

Feel free to DM or connect to chat more. This topic's one that's close to my heart after nearly 20 years in the business.