If you have a rental property and are considering renting it, you must read this post. Here we will include some questions that will help you shortlist good tenants. Stay here to learn more.
The secret to finding good tenants lies in the questions you ask them when they visit your property to rent. While you will be asking questions during the screening process, it is good to ask some pre-screening questions. We have included the same here.
Or, if you are unable to perform the process on your own, consider hiring a property management company in Los Angeles. A property management service in Los Angeles will systematically do this part.
Moreover, let’s look at the questions you should ask the tenants before the tenant screening process.
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Ask about their desired move-in date.
When a tenant has to find an apartment, they can start the search at different times. It depends on their existing lease and when it ends. After all, before proceeding with the apartment details, you should first know when they want to move in.
You need to do this because many tenants start searching for apartments while residing in their existing apartments. They do so because they want to know what is available and to plan their move-in.
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Why are you moving?
Many tenants want to find a new apartment because they don’t want to renew their existing lease. Still, you should ask the reason for moving. Asking for a reason lets you know if they are moving for a valid reason. Or they want to move because of their job location in a different location.
Whatever the answers you get from tenants, you must note them for safety measures. You can also compare those answers to previous landlords.
If you find it difficult, call a property management company in Los Angeles.
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Ask if they have pets.
Not all tenants have pets, but you need to confirm that your potential tenants have pets. Before looking for tenants for your vacant property, you should be clear about if you allow tenants with pets.
If you don’t allow pets in your apartments, ask a question regarding the same to your prospective tenants. On the other hand, if you allow pets, you can ask about the type of pets a particular tenant has.
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Ask about the monthly income of a tenant.
Knowing about the tenant’s monthly income lets you know if they can pay the rent. You need to use a particular industry standard to evaluate the monthly rent. For example, it may be two to three times the rent price.
Further, having information about their monthly income helps you decide whether you need a guarantor for approval or if the income is enough for the same.
In addition, you can also ask about the credit report to get a better knowledge about the financial life of the tenant. If all these things blow your mind, don’t hesitate to call a property management service in Los Angeles.
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Ask about a landlord and employer reference.
If a tenant comes to you to rent an apartment, you need to ask about references. Considering references from previous landlords and or current employer is safe. If it is the first time the tenant rents an apartment, ask about their personal or credit reference.
In some cases, the tenant may not be able to provide any reference. What will you do in that case? You can simply deny renting your property for safety reasons.
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Ask about the number of people who will live in the apartment.
How many people do you allow on your property? If you have set a particular rule for the same, you can follow the same when showing your property to a tenant. Maybe you allow only one person or more than one. Talk to the tenants about the same.
After all, if you allow more than one, you must do one thing. You will have to screen each one of them who will be living in your apartment. In addition to it, you will also have to consider the security deposit fee and other fees for each tenant.
Moreover, if you find all these things challenging, hire a property management company in Los Angeles.
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Do you smoke?
Allowing a tenant to live on your property who smokes can also be problematic to other tenants. That is why you need to introduce a no-smoking policy to all tenants interested in renting your apartments.
Additionally, you can provide a standalone area for smoking if you want to allow for the same. After all, you can contact a property management company in Los Angeles to learn about creating a smoking policy.
Conclusion
These are some questions you can ask before initiating the screening process. It will help you filter tenants that suit your property.
For more help, consider looking for a property management company in Los Angeles, such as Real Property Management Choice. A management company will do all the things with a thorough process. Call us to learn more.
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