All Forum Posts by: Dana Jordan

Drew,

I just reread my responses and in no way did I question any of the advice that was given to me. I'm not sure what your issue is.

They live in another state. Should I get ask for a pic when I FaceTime them tomorrow (another opportunity to scam?) or just take my own pic when they arrive to move in? Also, tomorrow I will be requesting a Deposit to Hold of $500 which will add to their legitimacy.

No, I was going to ask tomorrow when I FaceTime them (they are moving here for work). They aren't sketchy at all. I have letters from their future employees which I'm verifying today and they both submitted to the credit/background check and passed. I was just wondering if that was sufficient. I'm sure that they will have no problem with it.

Hi, 

Is there any reason to copy/check a prospective tenant's ID beyond verifying that they are who they say they are? I have matched both tenants to their Facebook page (not new pages) and their photos on their work websites. Is there any other reason to see their IDs? Thanks! 

Yes, I do, but thank you. I was just trying to find alternate ways to verify their info. It looks like there are other ways to verify their salary but no real way to do a background check. 

Adam, no one said that they are illegal. I know nothing about what kind of paperwork there is to verify immigrants that making their way through the system. That’s why I was asking. No reason to shout. 

Thank you, Nathan for such a complete and convincing response. I was trying to find a workaround to get the information regarding their financial situation and their background, but you have made it clear that without a Social Security number. I will never get the full picture. And I definitely don’t need to get off on the wrong foot with my first rental. Thank you so much.

Hi, I am a newbie trying to fill my first rental and am unsure about what to do about this situation. I had a woman inquire about the rental. Here are the facts.

-It would be the applicant, her husband, her two kids (ages 22, 15) and her sister.
-Only her sister has a social security number, as the others are going through the immigration process.
-The rent would be paid by the sister, the husband and the son.
-The sister only makes $2800/mo. and the rent is $1875. 
-She offered that the husband and son could provide bank statements.

I get the sense from her FB page that they have been in the US possibly less than a year. I didn't see any sketchy behavior on their FB pages although I take that with a big grain of salt. My questions are these: What information should I be looking for on the bank statements? Should I also ask for the employers contact info? How risky is this? Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank you. 

Thank you! Good points made by all. Bill, I like your rationale for not even using an agent specializing in investing.

Hi, 

I'm just starting out and have been listening to the podcasts everyday. One bit of advice is to rind a real estate agent that is an investor themselves. BUT wouldn't there be a conflict of interest. If we are investing in similar properties and locations, why wouldn't agents buy a property for themselves instead of passing it on to me?

Thank you!