Finding renters on a out of state rental house

Member since 2019 · 4 posts · 1 vote

Hi All, I am new to BP/pro. I have a home in middle Georgia near Robins Air Force Base. My spouse is just finishing up a tour there. We want to keep the house we bought but not sure how to go about finding renters if we cannot physically be there to show the place. We feel confident to manage the property on our own, with help from local friends and contractors, but trying to figure out how to find renters. I know many people have out of state rentals just curious on how to find tenants and perform screening.

Thank you,

Sharon

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Joe Martella
Rental Property Investor · Cherry Hill, NJ · Member since 2015 · 626 posts · 495 votes
3y
Your main issue seems to just be access. Perhaps you can have an arrangement with a realtor, friend or other trusted person where you can compensate them to show the property.
As for marketing the property you can use TurboTenant. I just recently posted on this topic and you should be able to find what I use to manage my properties.
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Sharon Carlson
OP
Member since 2019 · 4 posts · 1 vote
3y
Quote from @Joe Martella:

Your main issue seems to just be access. Perhaps you can have an arrangement with a realtor, friend or other trusted person where you can compensate them to show the property.
As for marketing the property you can use TurboTenant. I just recently posted on this topic and you should be able to find what I use to manage my properties.
I hate to put the pressure on a friend to find good tenants. I am checking with the Air Force base housing but still need to screen potential renters.

I will look at TurboTenant. I have not heard of them. I know there is Zillow but not sure their screening process is so good.
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Joe Martella
Rental Property Investor · Cherry Hill, NJ · Member since 2015 · 626 posts · 495 votes
3y
TT posts to many different sites. I have used it 6 times to fill my units.
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Sharon Carlson
OP
Member since 2019 · 4 posts · 1 vote
3y
Quote from @Joe Martella:

TT posts to many different sites. I have used it 6 times to fill my units.
That is good to know. Thank you
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Marshall Leipprandt
Real Estate Agent · Miramar Beach, FL · Member since 2016 · 285 posts · 245 votes
3y
@Sharon Carlson I used Avail.co for my LTR here in CA and it worked great. You can screen tenants (eviction history, background check, credit check), draft state specific lease agreements, set up rents/deposits, and communicate with guests on maintenance issues. It also posts to several sites when you make your rental listing live.
As for your issue of not being there to meet with prospective tenants, show them through the home, etc., I like the idea of trying to find a trusted realtor or friend to be the one who can let the tenants in to view the property. You'll still be the one communicating over phone/email with potential tenants and you'll still be the one facilitating the screening.
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Sharon Carlson
OP
Member since 2019 · 4 posts · 1 vote
3y
Quote from @Marshall Leipprandt:

@Sharon Carlson I used Avail.co for my LTR here in CA and it worked great. You can screen tenants (eviction history, background check, credit check), draft state specific lease agreements, set up rents/deposits, and communicate with guests on maintenance issues. It also posts to several sites when you make your rental listing live.
As for your issue of not being there to meet with prospective tenants, show them through the home, etc., I like the idea of trying to find a trusted realtor or friend to be the one who can let the tenants in to view the property. You'll still be the one communicating over phone/email with potential tenants and you'll still be the one facilitating the screening.
Thank you for sharing what company you use. Sounds like TT and avail.co somewhat similar. I will review both and see what works best for me. I think once I find a renter, which most likely be a military person, they will typical stay for 3 years or more. It sounds like my best option is a good friend to show the place but I will talk to a few realtors and find one to use as a back up. thanks
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Joel Allen
Rental Property Investor · San Antonio, TX (Lender in TX and SC) · Member since 2020 · 196 posts · 253 votes
3y
@Sharon Carlson
I use a ‘hybrid’ approach to self-manage a small portfolio of out-of-state properties…

I hire a leasing agent to manage all the items up until the point the tenant moves in (photographing the home, listing the home for rent on the MLS, coordinating showings, accepting applications, screening tenants, accepting security deposit, etc). On the tenant's move-in date, the leasing agent meets the tenant at the property, provides them with the keys and a welcome package that I provide, reviews the lease with the tenant, and conducts a walk-through inspection with the tenant.

As soon as that walk-through inspection is complete, the leasing agent officially hands over management to me and I am self-managing for the remainder of the tenant's occupancy.

This 'hybrid' approach allows us to have the necessary boots on the ground during initial tenant on-boarding & exit. We pay the leasing agent a one-time leasing fee once the tenant is placed, and it eliminates the ~10% monthly property management fee.

If I was ever to try to scale to a much larger portfolio, I would use a PM. But that’s not my goal, and I enjoy managing the properties.
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Nathan GesnerBusiness Member
Moderator
Real Estate Broker · Cody, WY · Member since 2010 · 28k+ posts · 41k+ votes
3y
Go in with a plan. I can't tell you how many people have asked a friend to keep an eye on the property, only to find out they didn't do much and what they did do was done poorly. The last one resulted in $23,000 in damages when a friend failed to inspect a home for two weeks during a cold spell and pipes froze.
Hiring a PM may cost money, but it can result in higher rents, fewer vacancies, and it protects your time/sanity.
If you think it's expensive to hire a professional, try hiring an amateur.
The DIY Landlord Book4.7247 Reviews
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Drew SygitBusiness Member
Property Manager · Royal Oak, MI · Member since 2012 · 12k+ posts · 9k+ votes
3y
You can either hire an agent to advertise, handle showings and get applications for YOU to approve.
Or, investigate self-showing options like ShowingHero, TenantTurner and Rently. Will still need boots on the ground to place codebox.
How will you handle maintenance?
[email protected]248-209-6824
Logical Property Management4.9460 Reviews
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Bob S.
Real Estate Consultant · Cleveland · Member since 2020 · 6k+ posts · 3k+ votes
3y
Quote from @Sharon Carlson:

Hi All, I am new to BP/pro. I have a home in middle Georgia near Robins Air Force Base. My spouse is just finishing up a tour there. We want to keep the house we bought but not sure how to go about finding renters if we cannot physically be there to show the place. We feel confident to manage the property on our own, with help from local friends and contractors, but trying to figure out how to find renters. I know many people have out of state rentals just curious on how to find tenants and perform screening.
Thank you,
Sharon

Simple , hire a PM co,
Good luck
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Ali L.
Investor · Brooklyn, NY · Member since 2016 · 121 posts · 31 votes
3y
@Sharon Carlson I like Apartments.com for marketing, screening and rent collection. Also may less of a hassle finding a realtor and paying the one time commission
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