Having current tenant do the showings

[Max James]

Has anyone allowed current tenants do the showings for your apartments? I know that legally someone cannot show the apartment (be a salesman) if they do not own it or have their real estate license. So it's technically illegal to have your buddy show your rental for you that isn't licensed (in Ohio at least). However, if you just have your buddy let that person into the apartment and not "sell" it, then that is legal. I have an idea to allow a resident in unit 1 to greet and allow entry for a prospective resident who would be living in unit 2 in order to view what the apartment is like. I would provide a monetary incentive to the current resident for doing me a big favor. This will eliminate my need to show the units. I can have my virtual assistant line up showings with the current resident and then have current resident allow the prospective client into the building. At that point I can be on the phone or FaceTime with the prospect and sell the apartment. This will eliminate my need to physically be there. Thoughts??!

[Benjamin Timmins]

Sounds like a bad idea. Too much can go wrong, plus meeting the applicant in person is one of the ways you screen tenants.