Trouble Finding Tenants in El Paso, TX

El Paso, Texas
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Trouble Finding Tenants in El Paso, TX

Ashley KroftPro Member
New to Real Estate · El Paso, TX · Member since 2023 · 31 posts · 17 votes

Hello BP!

First, I just want to thank anyone who takes the time to read my thread. Any advice is much appreciated!


Second, I am a first time landlord. Me and my business partners just acquired a single-family home to be rented on top of a home that has been paid in full. So I am managing two properties at the moment. 

The home paid in full has been on the market since mid-November of 2025. I know it was around the holidays so I am chalking it up to that. But now that we are into February, I am starting to panic on getting a tenant in this home. It has been newly renovated and I've lowered the price. There has been interest, people love it, lots of showings and when I do get an applicant, I tend to have to reach out requesting more information because of something on their background check needs clarification and/more documentation but I never hear back. Is this a normal thing? 

This property is a two-story home, 3 beds, 2.5 baths, with 2200 sq ft of livable space going for $1,850 (Market value is between $1800 -$2,000).

Property number 2: the recently bought one. We bought this one-story home in December of 2025. This home has also been newly renovated. Has 4 beds 2 baths, 1500 sq ft of livable space. We have shown this property A lot more than the above home mentioned, a couple applicants that didn't meet out qualifications. We are asking for $1,600 (market value is between $1600-$1700). This property has been on the market for 1 month. I have gotten a couple applicants, but again, when I reach out to them asking for more information because of something that came back on their report, I hear nothing. 

I use Turbotenant and I do love this platform and what it offers as to marketing the property, getting leads in, and their pre-screening and screening process. I also have a "For Rent" sign with my business number and that also gets more interest but it stops after they get the information they need. I don't hear back. Is there something I need to change or do differently to get more applicants? Do I need to lower the price just to get someone in? 


Any advice is much appreciated!

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Jim Johnson
Real Estate Agent · Memphis · Member since 2026 · 573 posts · 338 votes
8mo

Hi Ashley! 

Totally get why you're stressed, long days on market feel personal but what you're describing is actually pretty common for first-time landlords. 

The key signal here isn't "no interest." You have showings and applications. The breakdown is happening at qualification and follow-through. 

A few likely factors: 

1. Price vs. applicant pool

You may be priced at market but your screening standards might be targeting a slightly different renter tier than your price attracts. If multiple applicants disappear once docs are requested, they may not fully qualify (income, credit, background) and don't want to continue. 

2. Friction in the process 

The more back-and-forth needed after applying, the more drop-off you get. Renters move fast and apply to multiple homes. If yours feels "harder," they pivot. 

3. Payment-to-income ratio
At $1,600–$1,850 rent, many applicants need $4,800–$5,500+ monthly gross income to qualify under typical 3x rules. In some markets, that shrinks the pool more than expected.

4. New landlord tightening too much
First-time owners sometimes apply criteria very rigidly. The market may be telling you the “perfect” tenant at that price point is rare, not that the house is undesirable.

A few adjustments that often help:

  • Make qualification standards very clear upfront in the listing (income, credit range, pet rules, etc.) so underqualified leads self-filter earlier.

  • Respond extremely fast — first qualified applicant usually wins.

  • Consider whether slight flexibility (credit, co-signer, higher deposit where allowed) opens the pool without raising risk too much.

  • If days on market keep climbing, a small rent adjustment can move you into a more active demand tier.

The fact that people like the homes is good. This looks more like a screening-to-market mismatch than a property problem.

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  • Tim KirkPro Member
    Member since 2026 · 87 posts · 52 votes
    8mo

    I've always used Facebook marketplace with good success. Granted I get a ton of wackos message me but I sort through pretty quickly and only chat with the ones who look promising 

    0Reply
  • Michael W. McCord
    Rental Property Investor · El Paso, TX · Member since 2018 · 82 posts · 49 votes
    8mo

    Hi Ashley. Right in the same boat with you. I have two renovated SFRs in central EP on the MLS since last October listed at market rents. Lots of interest and tours and a few applications but no one follows through. Must be a slow market with lots of choices. I'm going through the process of getting the homes approved for section 8 use. I dropped the price once and will do again if not rented in the next week or two. I do use FB marketplace also but a lot of tire-kickers on there.

    0Reply
  • Jim Johnson
    Real Estate Agent · Memphis · Member since 2026 · 573 posts · 338 votes
    8mo

    Hi Ashley! 

    Totally get why you're stressed, long days on market feel personal but what you're describing is actually pretty common for first-time landlords. 

    The key signal here isn't "no interest." You have showings and applications. The breakdown is happening at qualification and follow-through. 

    A few likely factors: 

    1. Price vs. applicant pool

    You may be priced at market but your screening standards might be targeting a slightly different renter tier than your price attracts. If multiple applicants disappear once docs are requested, they may not fully qualify (income, credit, background) and don't want to continue. 

    2. Friction in the process 

    The more back-and-forth needed after applying, the more drop-off you get. Renters move fast and apply to multiple homes. If yours feels "harder," they pivot. 

    3. Payment-to-income ratio
    At $1,600–$1,850 rent, many applicants need $4,800–$5,500+ monthly gross income to qualify under typical 3x rules. In some markets, that shrinks the pool more than expected.

    4. New landlord tightening too much
    First-time owners sometimes apply criteria very rigidly. The market may be telling you the “perfect” tenant at that price point is rare, not that the house is undesirable.

    A few adjustments that often help:

    • Make qualification standards very clear upfront in the listing (income, credit range, pet rules, etc.) so underqualified leads self-filter earlier.

    • Respond extremely fast — first qualified applicant usually wins.

    • Consider whether slight flexibility (credit, co-signer, higher deposit where allowed) opens the pool without raising risk too much.

    • If days on market keep climbing, a small rent adjustment can move you into a more active demand tier.

    The fact that people like the homes is good. This looks more like a screening-to-market mismatch than a property problem.

    1Reply
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