I do a lot of asset management which is a fancy way of saying I manage the property managers but what it really means is that I get the benefit of their collected wisdom without having to do all the hard work they do.We also do a lot of what's called 'value add' deals where we take an uderperforming property and bring it up to market or 'stabilize' it.

They have a fancy website but handwritten receipts that are not specific at all.

A very small percentage of these folks actually reestablish contact and proceed with the application.Pros: (1) ABC "Always Be Closing" - ask for the "sale" at the closing on someone who seems solid; "A" tenants don't have a chance to get placed by someone else in the meantime or flake out when it comes to meet for the receipt of the deposit to hold(2) Streamlines the process IF the applicants check out (see below)Cons: (1) sketchy people have dressed nice and behaved long enough for me to accept their deposit (and then I am aghast when I start doing my screening) which finds me awkwardly returning the deposit on someone who was quite as good in reality as they claimed on paper(2) no time to do proper due diligence before accepting moneyI know some landlords take several apps (either all at one showing or in series over several showings within a day or two, then contact their "best choice" to offer the unit to them.My concern is there is a delicate dance that needs to be executed with great applicants, as they are looking for a place for the next month and can't sit idly waiting for a landlord to call them after reviewing their application.  

Don't worry so much about being fancy. focus on providing something that is comfortable, clean, and with the things people would expect at home and you will be fine.

(And yes, friends who try it have got a dressing down from me about it).

You buy with a ridiculously good discount because people like you are scared away, you fix it's underlying "scary" issue, and you make a handsome profit.And what exactly do you think a professional company does if they straighten up the floors - they get underneath with a slightly more fancy car jack and do EXACTLY the same thing - but with a stinging invoice.

If you think they'd actually use the fan properly if it was quiet, I'd get a better fan.Some people do love to steam up the bathroom, and in that case a fancy switch might be more effective.

It's not a fancy place, by any means, but you should've seen it before!

Once the tenant attaches something to the land (as in plantings), they are now part of the land and they don't get to take them with them when they go.This isn't a high end rental, but there are plenty tenants out there who would love a big yard for their dogs or kids to run around in - at the price they can afford - without fancy landscaping.The manager will probably encourage you to spend money on their pal who is hoping for the job, the tenant will flap his arms around saying he doesn't understand why you don't want to let him improve your property.  

Contracts don't have to be fancy or complicated.