All Forum Posts by: Kevin Kim

1. pick a background check that works for you, I don't like zillow, some do. 

2. You need a release if you are going to call references. You just have them sign that empolyer, and previous landlords can talk to you. Make it a seperate page so that you can send it to the party you are requesting info from and make sure you have their printed name on it. 

3. Talk to people. If it doesn't seem right it isn't. I had a woman who had 2 kids and then she let slip 3 would be living with her in a one bedroom.  Most people are okay but you will get desperate ones, don't fall for sob stories. 

4. Electronically, find something that works for you. 

5. No smoking. Anyone who says they will smoke outside eventually doesn't. No smoking of anything and no growing pot.

7. Pets do damage if you allow them limit the maximum number to two. Pet collectors in my experience don't make good tenants.  Might be good to meet the dogs.People lie about breeds.  If they are out of control no thanks.  Make sure your insurance doesn't have breed restrictions. If you have no fence I would plan on getting one. I name the allowed pets in a lease just like occupants.

I recommend you include some of your key qualification criteria in the advertisement. For example, I mention that every adult must pay a $30 application fee, pass my credit/criminal background, make a combined income of 3x the rent, and whether or not the property accepts pets. Use the top three or four discriminators so applicants can screen themselves.

Then you need to have clear screening criteria yourself. What's the lowest credit score you will allow? Do you check Landlord references? Do you verify their income? Do you know how to read the credit/criminal background? What if they have collections or judgments?

Here's a detailed guide on how to screen applicants: https://www.biggerpockets.com/...

California is the most regulated, litigious corner of the earth and you should work hard to educate yourself as best you can. Consider joining the California Apartment Association for education, forms, advice, and more. 

I recommend you include some of your key qualification criteria in the advertisement. For example, I mention that every adult must pay a $30 application fee, pass my credit/criminal background, make a combined income of 3x the rent, and whether or not the property accepts pets. Use the top three or four discriminators so applicants can screen themselves.

Then you need to have clear screening criteria yourself. What's the lowest credit score you will allow? Do you check Landlord references? Do you verify their income? Do you know how to read the credit/criminal background? What if they have collections or judgments?

Here's a detailed guide on how to screen applicants: https://www.biggerpockets.com/...

California is the most regulated, litigious corner of the earth and you should work hard to educate yourself as best you can. Consider joining the California Apartment Association for education, forms, advice, and more. 

Kevin,

I use Zillow and I've never had any issues with the rental payment portion of the site.  Only thing I wish that had was a way for me issue a payment back to the tenant.  Currently its one way (only they can pay you)

Like you, I am now skeptical of the application/background check on there and will likely use something else next time.  Maybe I got lucky in the past?

Zillow has their own lease, but also allows you to upload your own lease and put in digital signatures where you need them.  I normally print out the zillow lease to make sure I'm not missing anything . . .they try, at least, to update their lease for my area, but I've read where this may not always be the case.  I use a state compliant lease, with a couple of add-on, unit specific policies and make sure I include all of the same attachments as the Zillow one, like the lead disclosure, City required depreciation table, etc.  You are in California so no any lease will do.  Make sure you have one that complies with all of your local laws.

Overall, Zillow has been fine.  They have some useful tools that can help with comparables for pricing your rental.  It also looks like they are adding a maintenance portion to their site, but I have yet to investigate that.

Personally I don't like Zillow. It's too tenant friendly and doesn't put enough control with the landlord. Especially dangerous in a state like California where landlords have no protections. I haven't used Zillow recently, maybe it's changed,  but I'm still down on it. The first thing you want to do is stop the onslaught of people that aren't qualified. Which means a phone interview first. You can list qualifications all you want, but people refuse to read them.