First Rental - Good pre-screening list?

[Michael Surges]

Just listed my first rental! I'm an experienced agent in Denver, but this will be my first foray into rental ownership / management. I've gotten loads of great advice from these forums and guides already.

Curious how this pre-screening list looks to you all - anything you would add / remove? I also put this list directly on the listing itself.

**Tenant responsible for water, gas, and electric.
**$500 nonrefundable pet deposit. 3 pet maximum (2 dog max).
**Tenant must follow all HOA guidelines.
**Tenant will be responsible for a minimum level of yard upkeep.
**No smoking of any sort in the home.
**No marijuana growing / use in or around the home.
**Applications submitted through Zillow. Credit score and criminal history will be verified. Minimum household income 3x monthly rent. References required. No history of evictions.

Here's the listing if anyone is curious.

Cheers,
Michael

[Chris Freeburg]

@Michael Surges I think the list is good, but the first conversation will be more important. I always ask prospective tenants an open-ended question, like "What can I tell you about the place?" You'd be surprised by the information people will share that will immediately disqualify them. I'd also ask them if they had any questions about the screening criteria, that will also tell you how carefully they read the listing.

Most prospects will immediately ask for a showing. A simple 5-10 minute conversation will save you a ton of time. In fact, most often I have a good sense of tenants as soon as I get off the phone and before I even meet them. Good luck!