All Forum Posts by: Jenifer Kynor

Screen Tenants Quickly and Easily

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Hi Romil! Congratulations on your new condo! 

To answer your questions;

1. The more listing websites you are on the better. Craigslist, Zillow, Apartments.com, Trulia, Rent.com are just a few of many. There are different software out there that will market your property to all of these listing sites for you. The more eyes on your property, the more opportunity for lead generation. Invest in professional photos (or spend lots of time taking them yourself) and be very detailed in the description. This is really the only opportunity to stand out to potential renters. 

2. Speak with an attorney to find out rules and regulations for your specific area. There are also online leases that are state specific that can really assist in generating your lease. Since it is your first lease, it may be worth it to have an attorney look over it though (then reuse in the future).

3. I recommend requiring liability insurance. At the previous complex I worked for, we required $10,000 in personal and $100,000 in liability for renter's insurance. Once again, check the laws for your specific area, because there are many places with restrictions against requiring renter's insurance. 

4. You should sit down and write out specific criteria for what you are looking for in a tenant. For example, proof of income (3X rent for gross income) 560 or better credit score, no evictions in the past 5 years, no criminal background, etc. are all examples of what you can have. Be very clear and consistent with all applicants!

Please reach out with any questions, and I'd be more than happy to answer them for you. I hope this helps, good luck!

Hi Jonathan, 

I worked for the student housing I actually lived in. Everything was a "packaged deal" furniture, internet and television (a TV came with the home too), and students paid a LARGE premium for the convenience. However, the amount of damage and work to be done during turnover is ridiculous. Be prepared to spend your time between July and August replacing and fixing most of your units. 

Because a guarantor is required, late payments were never an issue.. but the damage done is excessive. Unfortunately in my situation, there were a lot more properties that were destroyed then well-kept. 

Hi Daniel,

My suggestion is to conduct a type of pre-screening email or phone call for all interested parties. Ask questions like; income, credit score, criminal record, prior evictions? If they pass the pre-screening move forward with showing the property. You could even have an open house to save yourself some time. Make sure prior to receiving applications you have  a written set of criteria for approving an applicant, so their is no questions as to whether or not you are being discriminatory if you were to deny an applicant. 

Once you show the property, invite interested parties to apply and its first come first serve. The first applicant that meets your criteria should be approved. 

I hope this helps, good luck!

Be honest with the tenant, but stay firm. They are in a violation of their lease. Document it as well, if you see the cat in the window, take a photo for your records next time! 

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There is no limit to the number of landlords you can refer or gift cards you can TurboTenant is revolutionizing the rental process by providing savvy landlords with cutting-edge technology that’s intuitive, powerful, and designed to save landlords time and increase profits. Landlording is not something to fear, which is why we believe that every property owner should have the tools to manage their properties easily.

From Rental Marketing to a customizable Online Rental Application with integrated Tenant Screening including credit, criminal and eviction reports, TurboTenant has it all, in one free and easy-to-use platform. Start managing your properties the Turbo way and find better tenants today!

Experience how much easier being a landlord can be when you use TurboTenant!

Hi Hunter, 

You can do a pet deposit and pet fee when a tenant moves in, or a pet fee and pet rent. Make sure you are covered. I think collecting the fee and deposit up front is better than pet rent, because you'll already have the money in hand. 

Another tip is to have "pet interviews".  My old apartment did this.  The applicant would bring their dogs to the property just to see its character traits. This gives you a better idea of how destructive the pet was, and you could deny or accept it prior to move in. It also gives you a better idea of how aggressive the animal is to protect your property and other tenants. 

We use Trello at my office and it is easy to follow. You can access it from both your phone or laptop and can set up notifications when a project is moved down the timeline or you are added to a new project. Super simple and I highly recommend. 

Good luck! 

Hi Kyle!

What features are you looking for in a landlord software? 

If there are a few changes they insist on you making on the house, you could say you would do if they pay for it (The upgrades you would want to make at least). Both parties can benefit from that if they agree, or even pay half!

Unfortunately this is just a part of land lording! Be grateful they are paying on time and not trashing the house. It could definitely be worse! Just get through it and don't let them renew if things don't get better for you. 

Good luck!