All Forum Posts by: Jenifer Kynor

Hi Regen, 

Welcome to BP! I am very familiar with Fort Carson and Colorado Springs area. Good luck in accomplishing everything you wish to here. 

Hi Wenner, 

I would also include the documents you wish for your applicant to attach when returning the application (photo id, pay stub, etc). 

Also, when screening, make sure to always run a full credit check, background check, and eviction report on any applicant above the age of 18. Normally, I've seen this cost closer to $45/person, but very rarely see any hesitation from applicants. 

Hi Eli,

If you do a little more digging into his criminal history and are still comfortable renting to him, it may be worth it to sign only a month to month lease. That will give you the upper hand if things go south. 

Hi Jason,

From working in student housing in the past, I found there were many pros and cons. 

Pros: 

1. Parents are most likely paying their rent or signing as guarantors, so it unlikely that they will miss a payment. 

2. You can get away with charging more for convenience. If you include furniture, washer/dryer, and/or utilities in your rent payment, it is easier for the students and they (or their parents) are more than willing to pay the premium. 

Cons: 

1. Lots of repairs. Unfortunately, many college students (not all of them) do not keep up with preventive maintenance and are very destructive.

2. Turnover. More often than not, I saw students wanting to move out in summer months or at least after one year. This is due to students graduating, traveling, or bad roommate situations. That can be frustrating. However, we always had in the lease that they must find someone to sublease to get out of their lease and are responsible for a $250 sublet fee and $50 turnover fee. (which can easily make up for the inconvenience) Another thing we did was to offer a $200 gift card (or some sort of incentive) for resigning their lease, and for many that was enough to keep the same tenant another year. 

Hi Brie, 

Some things I always recommend are to walk the tenant to their vehicle after you show the property or hand deliver a lease to their current rental to have a better idea of their cleanliness and how they treat their personal property. 

I like @Michaela G. idea of searching their Facebook page. I believe you can learn a lot about somebody from their social media pages. If employers search online before hiring someone, landlords should absolutely search before renting to someone too. 

Hi Christian, 

You could run a rental estimate report to see what price comparable properties in your area rent at. It is based off the number of bedrooms and bathrooms and uses your zip code to give you an accurate estimate. 

I agree with @Christine Kankowski, easiest way is to look at their bank statement! 

Hi Charles,

I would reach out to the neighbor directly. There are lots of ways to help with barking dogs (shock collars, spray collars). I do not think this is something you should have to accommodate for. If the neighbor isn't willing to do something, I would call the Humane Society and file a noise complaint. Normally, they will just send a warning in the mail or charge a small fee. 

Hi Quinity, 

Congratulations on closing on your first property! My recommendation is to search for a software that will assist you throughout your search for tenants. There is free software out there that will effectively market your property, screen tenants, price your rental based on comparable properties, provide renters insurance and online applications, etc. If you need any recommendations, please feel free to reach out and I am more than happy to send you suggestions. 

Regarding rental payments; there are many options and it is really based on personal preference. Money orders, checks, various online payment apps are all options. 

Pets are also a personal preference. Personally, I always believe in pet friendly housing, however some landlords may disagree. I think it really depends on your area and what other landlords offer. If there are a lot of tenants searching for rentals that allow pets, it is best to cater to them with whatever limitations seem fair (pet age, breed restrictions, size, etc). 

I never think its a good idea to allow smoking in the home and very rarely find rentals that would allow that (if any). 

Once again, if you have any other questions, please feel free to message me directly! 

Jeni

Hi Jessica, 

For screening tenants, marketing and online application features, feel free to reach out to me directly and I can send you over some recommendations!