All Forum Posts by: Mags S.

@Andrew P. - did you check that out yourself with their insurance company? I would get the deets on renter's insurance coverage.  Also inform your insurance company of renter's policy. Your insurance company will work with the renter's insurance company  and get them to pay out first.

@Andrew P. - did ur tenant have renters insurance? That policy should be exhausted before your policy kicks in. 

@Douglas T. - i was a longtime paying angieslist member for many years.  A contractor I used often, was up to paying $700/mo to angieslist before he bailed; it wasn't optional for him.  Angieslist has been going in the wrong direction for a few years but they have a sizeable database at this stage.

i've used both home advisor and thumbtack with success.  Angieslist has dropped down to third/4th option for me.

put the prospective tenants and their co-signers thru all your checks. (I did). The cost is what it is; they all apply and pay the fee. These checks are to protect you from undesirables - undesireables can be in the form of students too.

@Brian Garlington  I feel you are letting the tenant cherry pick out some impt items in your lease.  Best wishes if you move forward with this tenant; you'll be back later complaining about this tenant and will say that you wish you had listened to all the prior advise and red flags prior to renting. Best of luck.

Keep looking. She will be a PITA if nothing else. Land lording can be challenging enough - you see now what you'll be dealing with during the lease term.

Btw, I require my tenant to have renters insurance and required to name me as additional insured.  It doesn't cost the tenant any add'l money.  Often property owner will also be listed in a lawsuit. The tenant/renter's insurance picks up before my insurance comes into play. (I read that here, sorry don't remember whom to give credit) 

Check them out according to your criteria as you would any other prospective tenant.  FYI-mysmartmove.com, the transunion subsid creates only soft credit pulls.  Don't negotiate your standards.

@Sam Alberry  first, I would look at what the rental pricing would be.  From there, assuming the rental pricing is there, I'd take care of safety issues, then major areas like kitchen and baths.  Clean is key.  It's hard to say what needs to be done without knowing the property's price point.

I'd just keep looking.  Send them a deadline date and keep moving forward.  Never stop looking for the best qualified tenant until you have lease signed, deposit monies and first month rent paid.  My current tenant was scheduled to sign lease, etc on a Tuesday - I showed the place the weekend before and had showings scheduled for the upcoming weekend. It took 5 minutes to cancel upcoming showings.

P.S.  The tenant may have found a place they like better than yours.  Fifteen dollars is very little money for a tenant commitment.

Although I used google voice during tenant finding stage, my tenant does have my cell.  We text directly without google voice, but I've set expectations during lease signing.  Establish work and contact hours and emergency procedures outside those hours.  Stick to them.