All Forum Posts by: Carlos Hennings

Prequalification forms can be a great filter, but if no one is filling it out, it might be too complicated or turning people off before they even apply. I would check if you can customize the form beyond its default questions.

That said, prequalification alone isn’t enough—it doesn’t replace a full tenant screening. Some services miss key red flags like evictions, judgments, liens, and identity verification. A solid screening process should include:

✅ ID Verification – Confirms applicants are who they say they are.
✅ Judgments & Liens Search – These no longer show on credit reports, so a separate check helps uncover unpaid debts.
✅ Eviction & Rental History – Past evictions are a huge red flag for payment issues.
✅ Criminal Background Check – A nationwide search can help catch risks.
✅ Verified Income Data – Checking actual bank deposits prevents relying on fake pay stubs.

If you’re not getting any prequalification forms back, it might be time to simplify the process or use a better screening tool. A bad tenant can be expensive—it’s worth making sure you get the full picture upfront!

Welcome, Joscelyn! As a Marine Veteran, I love seeing fellow service members diving into real estate investing—it's a great path to building long-term wealth. Sounds like you have a solid plan with BRRRR, buy-and-hold, and house hacking!

When you finalize your first rental purchase, reach out to me directly for advice on screening applicants to mitigate your risks. You don’t know what you don’t know, and tenant screening is one of the most critical steps in protecting your investment. A bad tenant can wipe out your profits fast, so having the right screening process in place is key.

Always happy to help out a fellow service member—feel free to connect anytime. Looking forward to seeing your journey unfold!

Renting by the room can be profitable, but it also comes with higher risks—especially when it comes to tenant screening. Unlike a standard lease where you vet one household, you’re screening multiple individuals who will be living together, often as strangers. This means proper screening is even more critical to reduce potential conflicts, late payments, and property damage.

Pros of Renting by Room:

✅ Higher Cash Flow – Renting by the room can generate more total income than leasing a unit as a whole.
✅ Lower Vacancy Impact – One empty room doesn’t mean the entire property is losing rent.
✅ Flexibility – Month-to-month leases may work better for students, traveling professionals, or short-term renters.

Cons & Risks of Renting by Room:

🚨 Higher Tenant Turnover – More frequent move-ins and move-outs mean more wear and tear, vacancy gaps, and potential management headaches.
🚨 Increased Tenant Conflicts – Screening matters because you’re placing strangers together, and mismatched tenants can cause issues for everyone.
🚨 More Lease Enforcement Challenges – Handling disputes, unauthorized guests, or noise complaints becomes more complicated with multiple unrelated tenants.

Why Proper Screening is Critical:

Not all background checks are the same! Cheap screening = cheap results. Checking a box and running a basic credit score won’t protect you in a room-rental situation where tenant behavior matters just as much as financial stability.

✔ ID Verification – Confirms each applicant’s identity to prevent fraud.
✔ Judgments & Liens Search – Since these no longer show up on credit reports, a separate check helps uncover past unpaid debts or landlord disputes.
✔ Eviction & Rental History – One bad roommate can disrupt the entire house. Checking for past evictions ensures they have a track record of paying rent.
✔ Criminal Background Check – In shared housing, safety is key—a nationwide search helps flag potential risks.
✔ Verified Income Data – Looking at actual bank deposits rather than just pay stubs prevents applicants from using fake documents.

With room rentals, a bad tenant doesn’t just affect you—they impact everyone in the house. Skipping or using cheap screening increases your risk, while proper screening helps you build a stable, profitable rental environment. Do the work upfront, and you’ll save yourself and your tenants from future problems!

Absolutely agree—tenant screening is everything, especially in tenant-friendly markets like Boston! The best way to avoid costly, drawn-out evictions is to prevent problem tenants from moving in to begin with. All background checks are NOT the same, and relying on just a credit score can leave you exposed to major risks.

✅ ID Verification – Confirms the applicant’s identity, reducing fraud risks.
✅ Judgments & Liens Search – These no longer appear on credit reports but can reveal unpaid debts or legal disputes with past landlords.
✅ Eviction & Rental History – A must-have in strict landlord-tenant markets like Boston! Checking past evictions and rental behavior can prevent major headaches.
✅ Criminal Background Check – A nationwide search helps flag potential risks while staying compliant with local laws.
✅ Verified Income Data – Looking at actual bank deposits prevents reliance on potentially fraudulent pay stubs.

Evicting bad tenants in Boston is expensive and time-consuming, so the best “eviction” is never renting to the wrong person in the first place. A thorough, FCRA-compliant screening process is your best protection. Do the work upfront, and you’ll save yourself thousands in legal fees and lost rent later!

Great breakdown of the difference between eligibility and suitability! Too many landlords assume that because a tenant is approved for Section 8, they must also be a reliable renter—but that’s not the case. The Housing Authority does NOT screen for rental history, property care, or lease compliance, which means a thorough screening process is just as important for Section 8 tenants as it is for any other renter.

✅ ID Verification – Confirms the applicant is who they say they are, reducing fraud risks.
✅ Judgments & Liens Search – Since these no longer appear on credit reports, a separate search can uncover past unpaid debts or court actions from prior landlords.
✅ Eviction & Rental History – Checking payment history, past evictions, and landlord references helps verify reliability.
✅ Criminal Background Check – Ensures compliance with local laws while flagging potential concerns.

Section 8 can be a great program for landlords, but only if the tenant is properly vetted. The best way to minimize risk and protect your property is to go beyond just income verification and screen for suitability just like you would for any other renter.

A corporate letter and full rent payment upfront may look attractive, but proper screening is still critical. Even if the rent is covered, that doesn’t eliminate other risks—a tenant's judgments, liens, or criminal history could indicate past property damage, unpaid debts, or potential issues within the community.

✅ ID Verification – Confirms the applicant is who they claim to be, reducing fraud risk.
✅ Judgments & Liens Search – Since these no longer appear on credit reports, a separate search helps uncover past unpaid debts or legal disputes.
✅ Eviction & Rental History – Even with corporate backing, past rental behavior can reveal red flags.
✅ Criminal Background Check – A nationwide search can flag potential concerns.
✅ Verified Income Data – If not paid through a company, checking bank deposits ensures financial stability.

A little extra diligence in screening ensures you’re selecting tenants who respect the property and the community—not just ones with a corporate letter.

Since you're managing remotely, having a solid screening process is even more critical to avoid issues down the road. A strong lease won’t matter if you place the wrong tenant—so ensuring accurate and thorough screening is key. 

All background checks are NOT the same! Many instant reports miss evictions, judgments, liens, and identity fraud, which could put your property at risk.

✅ ID Verification – Confirms applicants are who they say they are, reducing the risk of fraud.
✅ Judgments & Liens Search – Since these no longer show on credit reports, a separate search can uncover past unpaid debts or legal issues.
✅ Eviction & Rental History – A verified report can flag prior evictions and rental payment behavior.
✅ Criminal Background Check – A nationwide search helps identify potential risks.
✅ Verified Income Data – Looking at actual bank deposits rather than pay stubs prevents applicants from using fake documents.

For pricing, Stessa can help track income and expenses, monitor cash flow, and collect rent. Since you're managing remotely, virtual tools for online rent collection and maintenance coordination are a must.

A little extra diligence upfront in screening and management can save you big headaches later!

If this guest ignored your rules, brought extra people, and left your door open, chances are they’ve done it before. And if they’ve done it before, another host may have taken them to court and won a judgment for damages—but you wouldn’t know unless you screened them. Short-term rental screening is just as important, if not more, than screening long-term tenants.

✅ ID Verification – Confirms guests are who they say they are, preventing fraud and unauthorized stays.
✅ Judgments & Liens Search – If a past STR host took them to court for damages, this can uncover it. These no longer appear on credit reports and require a separate search.
✅ Criminal Background Check – A nationwide check helps flag potential risks before they stay in your property.
✅ Eviction History – If a guest has been evicted from long-term housing, it’s a sign of financial instability and potential property damage.

If you stay on the platform, consider requiring additional verification for guests, using security deposits, and screening reservations just as you would a long-term tenant. A little extra diligence upfront can save you thousands in damages later!

Short-term rentals come with risks, but proper screening can help protect your property! While Airbnb provides some verification, it’s limited, and you don’t always know who’s actually staying in your home. If you're accepting bookings from VRBO, Booking.com, or direct reservations, screening guests yourself is even more important.

✅ ID Verification – Confirms each guest’s identity, not just the person making the booking. This helps prevent fraud and unauthorized stays.
✅ Judgments & Liens Search – Since these no longer appear on credit reports, a separate check can uncover unpaid debts or past legal issues.
✅ Criminal Background Check – A nationwide search can flag any major concerns before handing over the keys.
✅ Eviction History – If a guest has a history of past evictions, that’s a huge red flag for potential property damage.
✅ Verified Income Data – If offering mid-term stays, checking bank deposit history can help confirm financial responsibility.

For last-minute guests or those with little rental history, it’s reasonable to request verification for additional occupants. 

The best way to minimize risk is to treat guest screening just as seriously as long-term tenant screening. A little extra diligence upfront can prevent major headaches later!

All background checks are NOT the same! Many services only provide basic credit reports, which no longer include judgments and liens—key indicators of financial responsibility. If you’re screening tenants, it’s important to use a service that gives you the full picture.

✅ ID Verification – Confirms applicants are who they say they are to prevent fraud.
✅ Judgments & Liens Search – Since these no longer appear on credit reports, a separate search helps uncover unpaid debts or legal issues.
✅ Eviction History – Shows past rental behavior and any prior evictions.
✅ Criminal Background Check – Nationwide search for any relevant offenses.
✅ Verified Income Data – Analyzes bank deposits rather than just pay stubs, which can be faked.

Using a trusted screening service that includes these searches ensures you’re making informed decisions and protecting your investment. A little extra due diligence now can save you from costly tenant issues later!