... Continued.
Second, be up front
about what you are expecting from a potential tenant. On every one of our rental applications a
list of requirements is right there in black and white. Things like how much their income must be to
afford this home, what background checks we are doing, what the pet policy of
this house is, how much deposits and fees are etc. These applications are available online for a
tenant to review before they even call to make an appointment to see the home.
This is a great time
saver. If a tenant doesn’t qualify, they
usually rule themselves out before even showing up. Also, seeing the requirements in black and
white usually makes the rules more real to somehow. And if a potential tenant doesn’t qualify,
they usually just take the application never to return. When someone tries to ask to break a rule “just
for them” or, “just this once”, just say no.
If you start your relationship with a tenant breaking rules, expect to
do it all the way through their tenancy. These rules are restricted from state
to state so make sure you check with your attorney. I have an attorney for every state (except Alaska)
so if you need a recommendation, let me know.
And third, is to try to
get prospective tenants (especially if you’re looking for a prospective buyer)
emotionally attached to the home before even stepping foot inside. This is also a huge time saver as you won’t
have to show the home to tenants that feel the house is not their style or to as
many neighbors that just want to peek. Neighbors quite often like to peek online so
they feel that nobody knows they are looking.
To really create this
emotional attachment, first create a floor plan of the home. Include all of the windows and doors and
hallways. Also, show where the
appliances in the kitchen go and the bathroom layouts. It doesn’t have to be to builder’s accuracy,
but the closer the better. This will
allow tenants to start thinking of where to put their furniture and how they
personally would use each room. Plus,
unless you do a major remodel, this image can be used over and over again.
To Be Continued...
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