Tenant selection getting worse

[David I.]

I’ve been in the rental game since 2019, have 20 units all single family or duplexes. Also am a lender during the day so pretty good at looking at credit reports, income, debt to income. 

All of my properties have been completely remodeled and updated at purchase.  Most have 2 bathrooms, a nice deck, some have washer and dryer.  All appliances are new or fairly new and all operational.  Most are plank flooring and new paint. They are clean and in good areas of town. I look at similar rentals in the neighborhoods and price mine accordingly to the group based on sq footage, upgrades etc.  

The past year tenant selection seems to have gone downhill significantly. 80% of the prospects have below 600 scores, terrible job history, and even the halfway decent ones completely waste time by begging to see the property then not showing.

I’ve resorted to only having one or two open houses per week and I post that a week in advance and message anyone interested. I still get flaky behavior, no shows - and then they call the very next day wanting to see it. 

A current one for rent in LaGrange I would say no less than 25 begged to see it - I had an open house on a Tuesday night and a Saturday afternoon - 2 people showed up.  

I have a very nice house in Rolling Hills, again priced accordingly.  I get some higher quality prospects but still the same bad behavior - flaky, no shows, etc.  

I try to screen by asking simple questions like credit score job history etc., I end up lowering the rental price below market and I still get the same behavior.  it’s just even getting them to show up at this point. 

Also most have done 0 research. Don’t know where the house is, show up and didn’t read if it has 3 bedrooms or 4, or a garage or a basement.  I’ve resorted to saying please drive by the property before inquiring to see if it is what and where you are looking for.  

Is anyone else seeing this worsening? Any other suggestions? I work FT and have family kids so I can’t run over there and show a property 3x a day…