All Forum Posts by: Aly W.

My husband and I have 2 condo rentals in FL available now; one tenant was just evicted (that story will be in another thread), and one bought a house. So I'm having twice the fun with potential tenants, especially in this market. In 1 week, I've had over 500 responses. The rental requirements are clearly listed on all the sites I've posted them on.

They're listed right at the top. No one reads. Of the 500+ responses, only 6 people have been qualified to see the condos, since I pre-screen. Thankfully, most applicants self-eliminate immediately.

Some gems:

Applicant: Yes, I meet the requirements

Me: What is your credit score?

Applicant: Why do you need to know all this?! I don't give no information to no condo association, you realtors is all RUDE AF!! (I'm not a realtor, but whatever)

Next Applicant

Me: Have you read and met all the requirements in the listing?

Applicant: Yes

Me: Is your credit score a minimum of 650? 

Applicant: No

Me: Ok, then you didn't read the requirements

Applicant: Not really

NEXT!

Next Applicant: Yes, I meet the requirements

Me: What is your gross monthly income? (the rent is $1650)

Applicant: I make $12 an hour and I work 40 hours a week

Me: So what is your gross monthly income? (I already know, but she isn't sure, so I tell her what it is)

Applicant: Yes, right (she has 2 kids)

Me: That leaves you with less than $300 a month for all other expenses, like utilities, food, gas, renter's insurance, phone, car repairs, medication, etc.

Applicant: Yes

NEXT!

Applicant: Yes, I meet all the requirements

Me: Do you have a verifiable rental history?

Applicant: Yes, I live with my mom (or grandmother, cousin, friend)

NEXT

Applicant: Yes, I meet the requirements

Me: Do you have any evictions, judgments or criminal activity?

Applicant: Yes, but it wasn't my fault. The landlord didn't fix anything, and I made some mistakes when I was younger, but now I have kids and we need a place ASAP.

Me: So you don't meet the requirements? 

Applicant: Yes I do

NEXT!

Applicant: Yes, I meet the requirements. I live in (name any other state besides FL, where the rental is), and I plan to get a job as soon as I have a place in Florida.

Me:  So you don't have verifiable income? 

Applicant: Not yet, but I will. 

Me: Any verifiable rental history? 

Applicant: After 2 divorces, I now live with my boyfriend but I don't trust him and I need to feel safe with my kids. My ex husbands owned our homes before, and I really want to have my own place. My boyfriend will tell you I live here, but I don't want him to know I'm leaving. He's not abusive, but...(and continues to talk)

Me: I'm sorry, good luck with your search.

NEXT!

Applicant: No, we didn't read the requirements

Me: What are your credit scores?

Applicant: I really don't know

Me: Do you have a rental history?

Applicant; Yes, we've been in this apartment for a year, the landlord is raising the rent to $1500, so we have to move.

Me: You understand this condo is $1650 a month plus utilities?

Applicant: Yes, but we make a combined income of $3000 a month....I think. I'm a server and he's a car salesman, so I'm not sure exactly what we make, it's different every month. 

NEXT!

Applicant: Yes, I read the requirements, but your security deposit is so high, is that negotiable? 

Me: No

Applicant: But in Illinois, our security deposit was only $400!

Me: Do you live in FL now?

Applicant: No, we'll be moving soon and getting jobs there.

Me: You might want to reconsider Illinois

NEXT!

Applicant: I meet all the requirements but the credit, I have a 630 right now, it went down due to Covid

Me: 650 is a listed requirement

NEXT!

Applicant: Yes I do meet all requirements. However I have no previous residential rental history. Is that an issue?

Me: Yes, that's a listed requirement

NEXT!

Applicant: I meet all the requirements. Is it OK to smoke medicinal marijuana outside the unit? (there is no smoking inside)

Me: That would be frowned upon by the neighbors and the association

Applicant: No problem, I can smoke in my car. And I had a few issues with the law, but that was years ago. My credit's not great, but I'll have a roommate to help with the rent. No, I don't know his credit score or how much he makes, I'll find out. 

NEXT!

Applicant: Yes, we meet all requirements with excellent credit scores, but I don't give out any more information without seeing the place.

Me: That's not how it works

Applicant: Why can't you show it to me??

NEXT! 

We just evicted a tenant in Florida, it took 7 weeks. Not bad at all, other evictions took about 6 weeks. We use a professional process serving company. They handle everything. Yes, we pay for it, because if you make one single mistake with a date in your own process of eviction, one small typo in any document, that can set the whole process back to the beginning. 

Yes, evictions are happening in FL. We started our process the 4th day after the rent was due. Waiting equals more money lost. Most tenants respond after seeing the 3 Day Pay or Quit on their door. If they don't, they almost always respond once they see the eviction posting on their door. If they don't - and this one didn't - the process moves through the courts and the deputies/police will remove the tenant on the date specified by the final notice. 

@Gail K., I've been saving all my stories for a book!

We have a 3/2 house for rent in Brevard County, FL. As always, I list all the rental requirements at the top. As always, no one reads them. I've been buried in messages about it, and my first text/email/message back is, "Have you read and met the rental requirements?".

Nearly everyone says yes, but after a very brief phone call, the obvious answer is no. This gem of a response came yesterday:

Me: Yes, it's still available, have you read and met the requirements in the listing?

Her: No thanks. Quite the blue collar racist area, isn't it? Hence, your prequalifiers, I suppose.

And another one:

I don't have to tell you what kind of dog I have, it's a service dog, and I must inform you that it's illegal to discriminate. I plan to get a job once I'm in FL."

Me: "Unemployed" is not a federally protected class. Have a nice day.

Applicant: I think you are just looking for trouble, but have a nice day, too.

And another: Yes, my husband had a felony conviction 14 years ago, but it's been so long I don't remember what it was (say WHAT?)

And another, when I asked how many people would be living in the house - Ummmm.....(mentally counting), four!!

Me: Are you sure? Him: Well, not really, it could be three.

And another: We're moving down from Minnesota and plan to get jobs once we're in FL. We have a service dog and can pay 6 months rent in advance.

Today is another day, with more fun stories for my upcoming book, no doubt.

Apparently, I posted yesterday in this "Current" tenants group by mistake, sorry! But as a follow up to the felony tenant inquiry, here's how it ended:

The wife had told me over the phone during the pre-qualification screening call that her husband had a felony charge from 14 years ago, and that it was so long ago she didn't remember what it was. 

On her husband's application, where I ask about any criminal activity/convictions, he wrote "Yes....will discuss after approval".

Um, no, that's not how it works. I did a quick Google search and found that it was for Grand Theft and Traffic in Stolen Property, Possession of Illegal Weapon, and Concealed Firearm. All separate charges over several years. He did time.

And his wife doesn't remember this?? 

So as a follow up to yesterday's list of tenant inquiries (which I accidentally posted in the "Current tenants...." group, there was this response to my declining a tenant. 

She had told me over the phone during the pre-qualification screening call that her husband had a felony charge from 14 years ago, and that it was so long ago she didn't remember what it was (seriously??). Anyway, giving her the benefit of the doubt since she and husband both had decent jobs, etc., I let her see the house and they filled out the application.

On her husband's application, where I ask about any criminal activity/convictions, he wrote "Yes....will discuss after approval". 

Um, no, that's not how it works. I did a quick Google search and found that it was for Grand Theft and Traffic in Stolen Property, Possession of Illegal Weapon, and Concealed Firearm. All separate charges over several years. He did time.

And his wife doesn't remember this?? 

We have a 3/2 house for rent in Brevard County, FL. As always, I list all the rental requirements at the top. As always, no one reads them. I've been buried in messages about it, and my first text/email/message back is, "Have you read and met the rental requirements?".

Nearly everyone says yes, but after a very brief phone call, the obvious answer is no. This gem of a response came yesterday:

Me: Yes, it's still available, have you read and met the requirements in the listing?

Her: No thanks. Quite the blue collar racist area, isn't it? Hence, your prequalifiers, I suppose.

And another one:

I don't have to tell you what kind of dog I have, it's a service dog, and I must inform you that it's illegal to discriminate. I plan to get a job once I'm in FL."

Me: "Unemployed" is not a federally protected class. Have a nice day.

Applicant: I think you are just looking for trouble, but have a nice day, too.

And another: Yes, my husband had a felony conviction 14 years ago, but it's been so long I don't remember what it was (say WHAT?)

And another, when I asked how many people would be living in the house - Ummmm.....(mentally counting), four!! 

Me: Are you sure? Him: Well, not really, it could be three.

And another: We're moving down from Minnesota and plan to get jobs once we're in FL. We have a service dog and can pay 6 months rent in advance.

Today is another day, with more fun stories for my upcoming book, no doubt.

I'm in NJ, not that it matters, and have used this company 3 times:

First American Exchange Company/Janna Perret, Vice President/Regional Manager
Web: www.firstexchange.com

@Christine Johanns, that sounds wise. Trenton was "booming" for years, but it's a very small market and there are very large players who control a lot of the properties. And sadly, we saw no change in 10 years. The market itself raised values a bit; Detroit seems like a better opportunity.

I find that 9 out of 10 callers aren't even qualified to see a property. I pre-screen heavily, and if I'm in front of my computer, I'll check the county court records while they're on the phone. We just rented out a house in Florida, and only 3 people out of dozens were qualified to see it. I'll post one of the non-qualified stories later :)