Screening and choosing tenants…help

[Justin Dziedzic]

Hey everyone, I feel like I’m spamming this board with questions but I really appreciate the help. I have my rental listed currently on Zillow with my stipulations (600 credit score, 2.5x income, etc). I am just concerned that I’m not doing this properly and want to make sure legally I’m all good. 

- I am getting people looking at the home, then filling out the application and finding they are not at all qualified. Feel bad, but moving on, assuming no issue with just ignoring or do y’all send a rejection with the reasoning?

- I’ve had a few come to look with a parent and the parents would be “helping them out” by co-signing. I am new but to me co-signing doesn’t necessarily do anything correct? It’s not like I can evict them as they don’t live there anyway should they default?

- When do you decide to remove the listing and move forward, with the first applicant that meets the standards? Or do you give it, say, a few weeks to get more?

- I am using Zillow for everything at the moment but are there any other sites for leases/apps (I know BP right here) that y’all use?

Thanks all in advance. People who say this is true passive income sure are mistaken lol 

[Ray Hage]

@Justin Dziedzic spamming or no spamming, people don't need to answer lol

Honestly, even if it says in your ad about the "credit score, 2.5x income, no evictions, blah bla", people are going to either not read or think they are the exception. My advice is have a phone conversation before they come to view the property and do a whole application. "As I stated in my listing, I need a minumum credit score of X and minimum documented monthly income Y....." among whatever other factors. That'll save a lot of headache. If for example they fill out an application anyway, just let them know why.