Not Sure How To Resolve This Problem with Applicant Selection

[Jessica Young]

To start, I will be putting this under property management to alleviate this in the future. I wanted to research several companies and have it in place before I advertised, but of the five I was able to get on the phone only one company (who I have previous experience with from a tenant POV) got back to me and sent over all documents via email.

I have two applications that are deposit and first month's rent ready, both meet my rental criteria. One wants to move in on the 27th and the other on the 29th. Everything application-wise for the tenants and guarantors were submitted all today.

Applicants 1:

Two undergrad students who are actually supposed to be living on campus, but they couldn't room together. One applicant's dad is the guarantor as they have no history. Potential to be there 4 years, but they have overbearing parents that I've already had to tell that only those party to the lease should contact me in the future.

Applicants 2:

One is an incoming 2L and the other a graduate assistant. The 2L's mom is the guarantor. Potential to stay two years (he asked for a 2 year lease, I declined that request).

Both can get the deposit to me today, but they've both been emailing and calling me nonstop the past two days. They both were hesitant because all of their top choices were quickly rented out and I was last / slim pickings due to my price and age of home. What should I do here? I've read up on Fair Housing and want to be sure I remain in the right.

[Richard F.]

Aloha,

This is a common problem when you do not simply process a complete application from start to finish, and either accept it, or deny and move on to the next application, based on the order received. If you review multiple applications looking for the "best", you are far more likely to make a decision based on "feelings" rather than facts, and that will likely get you into a Fair Housing problem.

Having said that, we normally have a guarantor from each set of parents, with full background/credit checks, when renting to students.