As a new rental owner, I'd like some feedback from tenants. In the last 3 weeks, I've had 25 people make appointments to see my rental house.
I've confirmed with several the day before. I also ask when making the appointment that they please give me a call if they can't make it.
So far, not one has shown up for their appointment. I've called a few, and the reasons range from "I was in the hospital" (2 of them), to "I'm getting in a cab right now", and "I forgot about it, I'm on vacation this week".
This weekend, 3 people called to see the house. I asked them to call an hour before they'd like to see it, and none did. So at least I saved myself a trip.
But I'd appreciate input from tenants as to why they make appointments, even confirm them the day before, then don't show up. Thanks!
I like making the people looking at the property call 30 minutes before the appointment, that way I know they are going to show up (Thanks MikeOH for that tip :D ). I think handling it that way also shows you that you have a better quality tenant because they are one that will put forth the effort to pick up the phone and call you. If they call 30 minutes on the button then I'm pretty sure I have a qualified tenant. Most people won't keep appointments these days and when you get one that does it shows a lot for their character.
-Michael
Many renters are irresponsible and others are outright liars. They don’t look at it from your point of view or care that you are sitting around. Many of them may have driven by or through the neighborhood and decided they didn’t like it. Others may have found something else and not had the courtesy to let you know. It is part of the business but 25 does seem excessive.
8)
I ended up picking an hour time slot one evening, and told everyone who called to show up then. I had a few that ended up wanting to come a little earlier or a little later, so it ended up being longer than an hour. But quite a few did actually show up and I was able to get a good tenant out of those folks. I too had LOTs of no-shows prior to that. Don't think it was 25, but over half a dozen.
Thank you both. I did return a call from an applicant who said she couldn't remember which house she had called about, since she called every ad in the paper. I understand that most of these folks aren't organized or focused.
I've scheduled all appointments on Saturdays at noon. We waited about half an hour each time, since we'd been there cleaning and painting anyway. Now that all that is done, I'm asking them to drive by the house first and confirm an hour before they want to see it. We live an hour away.
The 3 people we've had so far came from being in the house with the door open while we cleaned (there's a For Rent sign in the window). We also put an Info Tube on the porch railing.
The 25 no shows seems to be a record :shock:
Here's the deal. Depending on your market, whoever gets an application fee from a tenant first tends to get the tenant. When a prospective tenant calls me, I do everything in my power to meet them that day and get them in the door and looking at the property immediately. I'm looking to get them emotionally tied to the property and get an application fee in hand. My application fee is $25 in a market where rent hovers around 600 a month. For a person who pays 600 a month in rent, 25 times 1 is ok. 25 times 4 or 5 gets expensive. Chances are they're going to nab that first one or one of the first two. I never schedule out an appointment more than 1 day. Every day is 24 hours of someone else getting a chance to sell them.
Besides these people being irresponsible, they are also very impulsive. I find that they somehow go through life jumping at whatever turns their eye at that moment. They are not dependable. They do not show up on time for anything, because they expect people to give them whatever they need and the only time they get motivate is when either pushed into a corner or it fits their needs. I always knew about these type of people, in fact I have had friends that are like this.
I did not realize that such a huge segment of our society was like this. I always figured that it was small portions of a certain area in a city where these people hung out. In my fishing hole, I have found that 3/4 of the total population is like this. Everyone I run into seems to have this mind set.
Thanks. The 3 callers yesterday wanted to know when they could see the property. I asked when they could come over. Only one had a time frame. I asked them all to call an hour before they could to come over. None called back.
I'm definitely willing to go over the day they call, as long as they give me an hour's notice. I live an hour away and it's just impractical to run over there when someone first calls, especially since they don't usually live there either. If they lived around the block, I'd feel there was a good chance they'd show up.
The walk-in that took an application seemed emotionally tied to the house, and her kids certainly were. I told her I'd waive the application fee. She tried to fill out the app while she was there and couldn't seem to figure it out, finally said she would take it home and get back to me. My app fee is $25 in an area where rents are $1000 - $1200.
My idea now is to run the ad Thursday and Friday, offering to waive the app fee for one day only - Saturday from 11 - 2, and see how it goes. Maybe serve coffee and donuts :D
Do you charge an app fee for each adult in the same group that fills out an app?
I was hoping some tenants would chime in as well.
I like making the people looking at the property call 30 minutes before the appointment, that way I know they are going to show up (Thanks MikeOH for that tip :D ). I think handling it that way also shows you that you have a better quality tenant because they are one that will put forth the effort to pick up the phone and call you. If they call 30 minutes on the button then I'm pretty sure I have a qualified tenant. Most people won't keep appointments these days and when you get one that does it shows a lot for their character.
-Michael
Make it a business policy (you do have one in writing right) to never waive fees. If you wave fees for some people and not others you could end up in court over some equal housing infringement.
If she couldn't figure out your application then your application is to complicated. If she looks confused explain to her what needs clarifying then change it on your app so the next person doesn't get confused in the same area.
Absolutely do not advertise that you will give out coffee and donuts at the showing. You'll have a bunch of people come just for the free food that aren't even looking for an apartment.
-Michael
And another thing Aly L. If you waive app fees you are showing your tenant that you are a push over and then at best every time you should be charging them a fee they will be asking you to waive it. At worst they won't pay their rent on time, keep getting later and later because you always waive the late fee, then finally stop paying rent all together.
A few months ago I read of a person that never charged late fees then when it came time to evict the person because they waived the fees the courts found in favor of the tenant because the owner wasn't charging the late fees and said that a pattern had been established and because of that the tenant wasn't expected to have to pay. YIKES.... ( I did some quick searches and couldn't find the article anyone else have the link to it?)
-Michael
Thanks Dafly....I was just joking about the coffee and donuts :D
The applicant got confused by the social security question. She asked whose ss# I wanted. I said her's. Then she asked what I meant by dependent's ages and social security numbers. I said her children.
These are standard questions I've seen on every sample application.
I guess everyone has an opinion on fees. I can't tell if having one is why no one is showing up, that's why I was going to waive it. Doesn't seem like a good idea from a consistency standpoint though.
I don't ask for children's ss numbers. I only ask for ss numbers of the adults. I want the numbers for the people that will be signing the lease. I have no reason to ask for a child's ss number. I wouldn't give a landlord my children's ss numbers. They have no reason to need them.
If you can't get people to show up to look at the place then you should probably go back and do some more market analysis on the price of rental housing in that area. If the price is right people will show up. Call other for rent signs and ask them what they are charging and what utilities are included. Number of bedrooms, baths, etc. Make sure you compare with the same class neighborhoods. If your in a class B neighborhood don't comp a class A neighborhood. If your apt is 50 years old, don't comp it with one that is 10. Look for similar rentals and comp those.
-Michael
Thanks. I'll remove the kids' SS#s.
The rent is in the middle range for the neighborhood. I know a couple of landlords on the street and what they're charging. I've had about 50 calls about from the ad, which states the rent and what's included. Would they even call if they felt it was too high?
If your in the middle of the market levels you should be ok. Make sure a for rent sign is on site, and you could also try running an ad on craigslist.org.
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To your earlier post, you want to collect the fees for the application, they are to judge the seriousness of the applicant (so you don't waste your time) as well as for you to pay the fees to run background and credit checks, as well as eviction reports on the tenants. By charging fees to do this you will also attract a higher quality tenant because if they know that you are doing this for them then they know that you are going to be doing it for their future neighbors and the ones that are currently there.
Your job as a landlord is to provide the best quality housing you possibly can for your tenants and this includes making sure that their neighbors are responsible and are not drug dealers and rapist that have loud parties at all hours of the night.
-Michael
Yes, there are For Rent signs in the window (in English and Spanish) and an Info Tube with fliers on the porch railing. I've advertised on craigslist.org, social service sites, the local newspaper, and in local stores. The response rate by phone is great.
I have no problem charging fees, if anyone is serious enough to show up to pay them :D
Wow, and I thought people being late was a problem! That many no shows is terrible in my opinion.
Is it a cultural thing, maybe? In the UK people are very good about appointments, and usually have the courtesy to call to cancel if they can't make it. Do people just skip other kinds of appointments too?
My feeling is that only a motivated applicant is going to show up. Maybe most applicants are looky loos, just checking around to see what's out there, not ready to move yet. It's a numbers game and eventually an applicant who has to move *now* will show up. I can't even count the number of people who have called to say they live in another state and are planning to move to NJ in Aug/Sept/Oct, whenever.
I decided to post an update on the no show situation, hopefully it will help others. Lately I've been telling folks who want an appointment that they have to call one hour prior to the appointment to confirm. If they don't call, I don't go. Of those that have confirmed, ALL have shown up.
A friend recommended setting up a table and chairs, a few fake plants, nice tablecloth, to make the place look inviting enough to have people fill out the application on the spot. That's also worked for those that like the house.
Hopefully it will result in an actual tenant soon :lol:
I know my PM has people stop in the office to fill out an application and pay a fee before she even really talks to them That usually weeds out a few tenants pretty fast. I don't know of any respectable apartment complex that does not have an application fee and they do the checks first then they talk to you. I could be wrong.
Why do landlords make appointments to show property, and not keep them. Furthermore, why don't they answer they phone when you attempt to find out why they aren't there as you are standing in front of the property they were going to show you?
It is a two-way street.
I tell people who are making an appointment that if they do not call by noon the day of the showing to confirm they will be there at the appointed time that no one will be there to show them the house ---as it is over an hour to get to any of our rentals. I also tell them that if they do not call to confirm that we will not deal with them again--if they call on another day to see the rental.If they are serious they call. I also do not agree to show the house until I have pre-screened them with basic questions such as: 1-Have you given notice to your current landlord and when exactly can you take a house as we are looking for immediate occupancy--the house is ready to go- We also do not schedule a showing until they have driven by the house, walked the property and seen the neighborhood--if they like the house, they generally call you the day they go out to see it--there are alot of people who are just kicking tires and really are not that serious about moving--you have to control the showings, unless you do not value your time--You can also tell alot about the potential renter by the manner in which they answer your questions-- we take showings very seriously and prep the house as a formal house showing--, aired out, freshly swept, vacumed, etc--I do not want to go through all that hassle and time, not to mention getting your lease apps ready, driving to the house etc, just to deal with a looky-loo who is just wasting your time. Have as much control as possible--, -
Thanks J.N. I've done most of what you have suggested in the last couple of weeks, and had much better results. I tell every caller that if they don't call an hour before to confirm, I won't be there to show it as I'm also an hour away. Nearly everyone who confirmed has shown up.
I've also asked those who say they're on Section 8 if they have their packet to bring. If they don't have it, I don't show the property.
Thanks for everyone's input on this. Since I finally rented the house, I thought I'd post an update.
After 2 months of advertising (newspaper, craigslist, social service sites, etc.), and fielding many, many phone calls and email, my tenants found me on their own. They lived 3 blocks from my rental and were walking by one day and saw the sign in the window. I showed the house that day, they filled out the apps, I spoke to their former landlords, signed the paperwork with Social Services, got the deposit, and they got the keys.
If it helps anyone else, here are a few things I learned from this. Some have been mentioned before.
Screening over the phone. Ask about pets, number of people, are they under a lease agreement at this time, are they on rental assistance and if so, do they have their voucher approved and for how much. Tell them what to bring with them to fill out the app - voucher, pay stubs, photo ID. It's amazing how many people will be under a lease, or they don't know the rental area and have never been there, or are calling from other states with no way to even see the place.
Have them call to confirm their appointment an hour before. Or 10 minutes, or however long it takes you to get there. If they forget to confirm, they will forget to show up. Don't call them to confirm. They will always say they'll be there. If they don't call, don't go.
Set up a card table and a few chairs if the house is vacant so they can fill out the app on the spot. We also had a nice tablecloth, plants, and put an air conditioner in the window. If it's really hot in the house, they will take the application home and you'll never hear from them. A little staging goes a long way.
Simplified application. It was 3 pages originally, got it down to one.
It's been quite an experience :D