Preparing for 1st Rental open house this Saturday

[Justin C.]

I have read through the numerous rental open house posts here on BP and didn't see this covered.  I will have approx. 20 copies of the application as well as 20 copies of what I'm calling "Important Lease Notes" where it includes highlights of the terms of the lease that could deter someone from even applying.  It also includes my contact information.

These "notes" include Rent plus utility details, pet details, annual rent increase, security deposit details, 3x income requirement, how rent is paid, and where to send the applications.  About 8 notes in total.

Any thoughts about this?

@Dawn Anastasi : )

[Marcia Maynard]

@Justin C. Congratulations on your recent purchase! You are on the right track preparing in advance for your property showing!

When showing a place, whether as an open house or by appointment, here are few things we do:

1. Print a Property Description Flyer that covers the most often asked details about a property. Many prospective renters are looking at multiple properties and we want ours to stand out.

2. Print copies of the Application to give to those who are interested in applying.

3. Print copies of our Rental Criteria to hand out with the Application. (Note: Washington State law requires we reveal our rental criteria before taking an application with an application fee.)

4. Place a basket of disposable shoe covers at the front door and ask people to use them to protect the flooring. Also a welcome mat to wipe feet prior.

5. Have on hand a tape measure, disinfectant wipes, camera, pens, small tool box, first aid kit.

6. Open the unit and air it out ahead of time to make sure it smells fresh and clean. Open blinds/curtains to let in natural light and turn on lights in all rooms. The brighter the better.

7. Be prepared to "market" the property, pointing out key features.

8. Be prepared to ask the prospective renter for their thoughts about the place and to be able to answer any questions they may have.

9. Be prepared to observe:

* Demeanor, interpersonal skills, communication style. How do they interact with family/friends who are with them? How do they interact with me?

* Dress and hygiene. Do they smell of cigarettes/weed, diesel fuel, body odor? Do they care about their personal appearance? What kind of tatoos are they sporting?

* What type of vehicle do they have and how well do they keep it?

* Where do they go when they first enter the unit? (kitchen,bath,bedroom,back yard, etc). What features draw their interest? What kind of questions are they asking?

10. We prefer to allow everyone a chance to view the property and turn-in their applications during a specific time frame. We don't say first come-first served as we will select the most qualified from the applications we receive in accordance with our rental criteria. We prefer to allow people time to accurately and thoughtfully complete their application and not feel rushed to try to get it in before someone else. Our typical time frame for showing a property and accepting applications is three days. After we accept an application, we rank it according to our criteria and proceed to process one application at a time in order of their ranking. If a tenant is denied because we selected someone else, we return their application fee.