How to find previous landlord phone number?

[Mary Jay]

Hi guys, I have a question for you: My prospective tenants gave me a phone number for their previous landlords. I’m not sure if those are real numbers for their landlords, maybe those are phone numbers for the tenants friends or relatives.

Is there a way to look up those phone numbers myself? Assessors website? Or which website should I use to look up peoples phone numbers? Because who knows maybe they gave me phone numbers for their relatives.

Thank u!

[Steve Hall]

Call the number that the applicant provided!

If they say "ABC Property management" then you don't even have a problem!

If they say "Hello", say "Do you have any vacancies?" If they say "No", then say "Well (your applicant's name) just moved out right?" (See where I'm going with this?)

If the applicant lived in an apartment complex, you can just Google the apartment complex and call the number on their website first. (Maybe they will even match!)

If the applicant lived in a SFH and it is owner managed (and you don't know the owner's name), now you have to be a little more creative. Perhaps looking on the tax assessor's web site to see if the property owner owns the house in his/her name. If they do, call the number and say "Hello is (name you found on the assessors site) there?"

Finally, drive by the property and stop and knock. The owner could be house hacking. Tell any tenant that answers the door that you are an investor and you want to buy the house. Do they know how you can contact the landlord?