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Updated about 5 years ago on . Most recent reply

Account Closed
  • Investor
  • Rogers, AR
27
Votes |
62
Posts

Social Media as a pre-screening tool

Account Closed
  • Investor
  • Rogers, AR
Posted

Hello all, I'm looking for some advice. I have a unit in a duplex advertised at various websites and yesterday I had a lead emailed to me from one of the sites I use to advertise. When I called the person to talk with them about it and to ask a few questions before I offered to show it. One of my questions was and always is "do you have pets" as we do not allow pets or animals in any of our units (this is stated in the advertisement). Her reply was no and I set up an appointment to show them the unit. After I got off the phone with the person, I looked this person up on Facebook to which I saw a picture of her and the person she told me would be in the house and they were hiking with a big dog on a leash and the picture was posted the same day she called me about the unit. 

My question is - what would you do in this situation? Would you not show her the duplex unit and if I cancel the showing, what would you tell her? Do I show it and ask her about the picture I saw? I took a screenshot of the picture in the event I might need a paper trail. So tell me please.

Most Popular Reply

User Stats

435
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421
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Karen F.
  • Investor
  • San Diego, CA
421
Votes |
435
Posts
Karen F.
  • Investor
  • San Diego, CA
Replied

I allow pets for the above reasons.  However, I cannot allow prohibited breeds, and there are people who show up with an ESA letter for a pitbull or two (ya know, you gotta get a few litters of them to sell to the neighborhood).  So I DO check on social media, and if it's obvious that they have a prohibited breed, I won't return their calls.  Also, if their social media is ridden with ghetto/gang talk, I won't rent to them either.  And guess what?  If someone is posting on neighborhood groups about how evil their landlord is for actually expecting them to pay rent, I save that info, to.  It's easy, since all our rentals are in one town.  Of course, I won't rent to anyone who has ever brought a slip and fall lawsuit, or has been in housing court, even if was THEM suing the LL for not taking care of a mice problem or such.  Yeah, I do a lot of screening.  But my return on investment of my 32 units class D properties has been excellent, even though I sometimes have a property sit vacant for a month while I wait for a decent applicant.

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