When you want to find the best tenants for your rental property, you need to advertise wisely, provide a great home for rent, and follow a thorough tenant screening process. These tips will help you identify and attract the best possible tenants for your rental property.
Provide a Great Property
The best tenants are going to want to live in the best properties. Before you list it on the market, make sure it is clean and functional. Pay attention to things like curb appeal so that people driving by the property will want to come in and check it out. You don’t have to spend a lot of money on renovations, but make a few small and affordable updates that will get the attention of the best tenants. New floors and fixtures can go a long way, as can fresh paint and clean landscaping.
Market Your Property Well
A For Rent sign in the yard is great, but you can’t just post the sign and wait for tenants to come to you. You need to advertise online, which is where the majority of prospective tenants are looking for properties. Create a website that features your property and list it on all the sites that tenants use, such as Zillow, Trulia, and HotPads. Once people start calling about your ad, be responsive. Do a little prescreening over the phone to ensure they have enough income to afford the home and that they want to move at a time that the home will be available. Show the property and follow up with an application.
Tenant Screening Process
The tenant screening process is crucial to finding the best tenants. Get an application that collects all the necessary information and provides you with permission to do a thorough background check. You’re looking for someone who will pay rent reliably and take care of your home. Checking credit history and criminal backgrounds is important, and you want to verify employment and income. The most important part of your screening process, however, is the rental history. Talk to current and former landlords about the tenant.
