I have been using Craigslist for years to advertise my few rentals. I stumbled across "postlets" which is a Zillow product and tried it. I'm getting about 4:1 responses from Zillow v Craigslist. Incumbents can fall quickly now days...
Tried RadPad? I haven't, but landlords can do free ads, tenants can search for a place and make rent payments using debit cards for no fee or credit cards for a 3% fee. Supposedly a greater percentage of tenants pay via credit card. Which makes me think that is a reason they are still tenants rather than owners.
I have a lot more shady requests from zillow/postlets. Most of them are "will you take section 8 for half the rent and can I have it tomorrow?"
It is extremely important to pre-screen renters before you show them the property. Otherwise, you are wasting your time.
What is your pre screen process? I don't have any rentals but my siblings do. They each do things their own way. One never advertises except for a sign in the window or neighbor referrals.
Never used Postlets. I'll have to look into it.
Senator, What site do you use to check their credit score and to confirm other personal data supplied by the prospective tenants?
- Who would be living there? (want to understand how many people and how they are related. Also need to know how many over 18 for running background checks)
I use a company mccgrp.com. They do credit, criminal, previous address owner checks (like past LL, but they call the actual owner of the property, not the names on the application), employment checks, etc. $39.
Never rely on a national criminal background check, do a county check.
I do not need to see or meet my applicants to approve or decline them. Using the background check I can do it without any bias. I routinely approve tenants sight unseen, and have never had an issue.
Credit score is the greatest indicator of tenant performance and behavior that there is.
This could be ruled as a discriminatory question. I ask "How many occupants". It doesn't matter how they are related, or how many are kids/adults.
Only 18+ need to fill the application out.
This could be ruled as a discriminatory question. I ask "How many occupants". It doesn't matter how they are related, or how many are kids/adults.
Only 18+ need to fill the application out.
"Who would be living there?" is a valid question I believe.
I do actually get plenty of parents calling to inquire about rentals for their children so finding out if the person calling is doing so for themselves or someone else seems appropriate.
How many evictions have you had? I'm wondering if by saying "never had an issue" that means zero evictions. If so, your ahead of me. I have been a landlord for 24 years and have had one eviction. And the oddest part: I have never ran a credit check or any other check. I know what you all will say, and I wouldn't teach my method to others, but I interview them in person and make my decisions. I currently have tenants that have been with me 14, 12, 11, 8, and just starting 3 years. The only eviction was a friend of a tenant.I use a company mccgrp.com. They do credit, criminal, previous address owner checks (like past LL, but they call the actual owner of the property, not the names on the application), employment checks, etc. $39.
Never rely on a national criminal background check, do a county check.
I do not need to see or meet my applicants to approve or decline them. Using the background check I can do it without any bias. I routinely approve tenants sight unseen, and have never had an issue.
Credit score is the greatest indicator of tenant performance and behavior that there is.
How many evictions have you had? I'm wondering if by saying "never had an issue" that means zero evictions. If so, your ahead of me. I have been a landlord for 24 years and have had one eviction. And the oddest part: I have never ran a credit check or any other check. I know what you all will say, and I wouldn't teach my method to others, but I interview them in person and make my decisions. I currently have tenants that have been with me 14, 12, 11, 8, and just starting 3 years. The only eviction was a friend of a tenant.
I love landlording. I bicycle up, get handed $ (today was 2350, for example) and go home thinking it sure beats working.