Web sites used to reduce time investment in rentals, do they work?
I have been getting busier and busier so I have started working on a web site to reduce the time required. From looking on here this is what I have come up with so far: This site is full of great information.
tenant emails a craigslist ad and gets an auto response directing them to our web site and to fill out a form to schedule a showing, this form also pre screens the tenants, asks income, eviction, criminal, questions ect.
my yard signs will also direct people to our web site and each house has a google voice number with the property details and again directs them to the web site.
once on the web site it directs you to the same form as that we send you from the initial email if your coming from craigslist. If you do not meet my initial screening requirements you are directed to a denial page .if you make it past the pre screen once the form is submitted another auto email goes out that goes over my screening requirements again and also directs them to my online scheduler where they pick 3 days and or times that work for their schedule. I then get an email to confirm which meeting I would like.I will be putting my application on line and collect application fees there as well.
We are also going to switch to erentpayments.com to collect the rent and the tenants are able to pay from my web site.
My goal here is to reduce my time invested down to showing only qualified tenants the property and do the actual screening of the tenant.
Has any one done this before?
what are the down sides to this?
will it scare away good tenants or just the bad ones which is the purpose.
What things am I missing?
After I get the kinks worked out on this I want to move on to phase 2 of my site, where tenants can request repairs. Initialy this will all just go to me to contact the correct person but down the road I would like to make it so that the tenant selects what type of repair is needed, tells the issue and then when they submit the repair request a WO goes to the correct repair person, ie the plumber, electrician, handyman, me ect.
Again has any one done this before?
what am I missing as to the down side?
I usually have decent tenants and my quality of tenant has gone up a lot since I have gotten better as screening. My first ones were horrible, thanks to all of you I have gotten better. I also charge my tenants a $50 service call for repairs that as long as its not due to tenant damage gets refunded to them so I don't think I would have much of an issue with regards to unnecessary repair requests. Contrary to popular belief doors just don't fall off hinges and windows done just magically break :-)
thoughts and feed back are appericated