Almost Tenant Changed Mind Before Signing Lease, Now Trying to Find Tenant All Over Again

[Michelle Chabot]

Hi there, I'm a new landlord and I've come up with a bit of a problem renting out my apartment.

I found the perfect tenant, arranged a day and time to sign the lease and called the other applicants to let them know I rented the property.  On the day of the lease signing, the almost tenant called and told me they found a job in another city that pays better than their current job and had to decline their acceptance.  

I had a lot of applicants, but a lot did not meet the requirements or something felt off about them so this tenant was definitely a go for me.  Now it's going into December and it will be a month since I listed the property as of December 6th.  The calls for interested people have waned and now I'm worried I won't find another good prospect.  Some people I've talked to think I'm being too picky in my screening process by doing credit checks etc.

Has anyone been in this situation?  Should I stay positive and stick to my screening requirements?  The apartment is priced well and it has been renovated and shows VERY well.  Most people looking at it say it's one of the best they've looked at, but maybe I'm being too picky with potential tenants.  A lot of the people don't fill out the application form fully and/or they don't provide verification of income so that I can confirm they can afford to live there.  There were so many applicants that I don't have time to hunt them down for the missing info., but I'm assuming most of them have looked elsewhere since I told them my place was rented.

[Eddie T.]

Never tell people a unit is rented until you have a signed lease and a deposit.

And continue to show it until you have received the deposit to hold the unit.

Go back thru the applications and cll the best ones see if they are still looking.