We have screened a lot of tenants over the years, and we want to share some of our most successful techniques so you can save time and manage a more effective tenant screening process as a landlord. There are five questions that we’ll always ask when someone calls to inquire about a vacancy. This is part of our pre-screening process to establish whether or not we want to show them the property.
Who Will Live in the Property?
If six people are trying to fit into a two-bedroom unit, we know that it’s probably not going to be a good fit.
Where are you Moving from and Why are you Moving?
This sounds like two questions in one, but combining these two questions allows the prospective tenant to elaborate on their current housing situation and what they’re looking for in a new property.
When Would you like to Move?
This is an important question because we want to make sure the property will be available within their required timeline, and we also don’t want to wait too long for them to move in.
Do you Have any Pets?
Our advertising will almost always say whether we accept pets or not, but many people overlook this, so we ask this question to make sure the pet policy is understood.
Can You Meet Our Income Requirements?
It’s too early in the rental process to ask how much money the prospective tenants make, but we always share our income criteria, which is three times the amount of monthly rent. You’ll want to find out if that will work for them.
Best Tenant Screening Tips for Your Redmond, WA Rental PropertyThese pre-screening questions will save you time and effort and ensure you only show the property to applicants who are well qualified and will be a good fit. The real screening will come after an application is made.
If you have any questions about this process, please contact us at Gregory Property Management in the Redmond Kirkland, WA area.