I have been reading about the screening home visit to their current residence.

I have been thinking about implementing this.

How do you go about doing this?

Is there anything written about it your application?

How much notice to you give them (to clean up)?

What are you looking for? Do you just go in the front door or do you ask to see the kitchen and bathroom?

I am looking for how you include this in your normal screening process.

I have been hesitating because it just seems odd for me to say before I can approve you application I need to inspect your current residence. Maybe I should just get over it ;-)

Every landlord on this site should post whether he or she would accept in-home screening of THEIR home to rent a property.

David/MI, not a drop-by for sure!! Our house is acceptably semi-clean MOST of the time but I am not a big-time housekeeper, also we have cats and live on a sandy beach.

So if someone wanted to come interview me, I would ask for at least 24 hours so I could do some tidying up. Probably longer so I could call me bi-monthly cleaner to come early LOL!

These posts make me think that some of you have never seen a truly filthy house! You over look toys, clutter, and last weeks newspapers waiting to go to recycle. You don't care that their decor is not up to Architectural Digest standards. You are looking for filth, bad smells, unauthorized animals, rotting food left out, obvious drug paraphernalia.

Well, I have an 'in.' I accept 2 pets--even up to 2 large dogs. So I tell the applicants I will bring some paperwork and also want to meet their pets. Then I DON'T give them a heads-up. I show up and I look for the following: bad smell in the house, badly behaving pets that are then yelled at, pets that don't obey their owners or show aggression, other pets not mentioned(lied about). A house that is so cluttered that it's on its way to hoarding, a house that has damage to doors/windows/carpets, has sheets on the windows, has broken furniture on the porch, toys all over the lawn, etc.

kkezir,

Most important: don't be timid. Who has the most to loose here? YOU!

I copy Mike Butler's teaching on this: it's like a crystal ball to see what YOUR home will look like in 3 months.

A drive by MIGHT be enough to deny, but most need you to step onside.

1. When they move out are YOU willing to clean up their mess?

2. If they made a sandwich on the kitchen counter would you eat it?

We take a photo of the animals. Cats: check the litter box.

I pay a helper to go do this within 24 hours. She calls and makes an appoitment.

Dirty people do not clean even when they know you are coming. Clean people say "My house is a mess. I get off work at 4. Could you come at 5 so I have a chance to pick up the house?" That's a great answer! You found someone who CARES about their housekeeping!

Your tone of voice and confidence makes a big difference. "Hi Mrs Smith. Your application to rent with ABC Property Management is partially approved. The next step is for me to stop by with a paper for you to sign and check your current home. I need to take a photo of your cat Fluffy. Would 6 o'clock be convenient?"

Not concerned with clutter, toys, or laundry. Looking for stink, garbage, damage, and vicious animals.

Just do it. It's not rocket science. Hire a realtor if you want. But it's up to YOU to protect your investment.

BRAD

When I hand the paper application, I look them straight in the eye and tell them 'I will pick up the application at your house. How you take care of where you live now is how you will take care of my place.'

I'm not looking for perfect housekeeping, but other things show themselves, things that make me say nope. I don't say nope until I am safely out and away.

Phone pre-screening weeds 80-90% of those who respond to my posting. Showing them my property weeds a couple more. I only hand out four or five applications, and I continue my online screening with any info I gleaned from our conversations at the showing, so I might have to text one or two of those four or five that 'upon further review, I will not be able to offer them the property at this time'. Sometimes I tell them why, usually if it relates to something I told them I would need to look into.

My very first, and most important screening criteria is that they are always calm and polite. The pushy/rude ones don't get past pre-screening. By the time I pick up the app at their place, most of my screening hurdles have been met. The last two turn overs, I only went into the home of the person who now rents from me. I had already checked income/ employment, looked them up on all of my online sites. My properties are C class.

Yes David, I would accept inspection of my current place. I think the better applicants all find it reasonable, many have told me so. In fact, two have expressed that their good housekeeping skills finally got them recognition. And, they keep my places like that. (I keep my properties in very good condition for the area. Even my electrician says so. ) So, yes, David, someone wanting a very good place finds it reasonable.

Kkezir, also, when I go into their home, I'm sure to wipe my feet at the door, slide my shoes off if appropriate (ALWAYS in a Hmong person's home, always if my shoes are wet. Helps to plan on shoes that slip on...but...bending down to tie my laces gives a better glance of white bedbug powder...) I don't touch anything, don't go into bedrooms at all, just peek from hallway if offered. Of course, I would shake hands with anyone being introduced, say hello to children.

David MI, you said "Every landlord on this site should post whether he or she would accept in-home screening of THEIR home to rent a property.

YES i absolutely would. And in fact I have done just that when my wife and I were starting out and living in apartments I did invite landlords to come and see our current apt to help them decide if they wanted to rent to us.

Lots of good thoughts here on the reasons why to do it and practical steps on how to do it.

Would I open my house for a visit? Depends on how badly I want the place in question. If you want to play ball you got to follow the rules, and as we all know he who owns the house makes the rules. As a corollary to ALDO's rule, I'll say "The LL is in charge; the applicant is not!"

Sid, I think you hit the nail on the head with your answer "Depends on how badly I want the place in question."

My target demo, white collar salaried professionals with 700+ credit have their pick of rentals. They know that it's not typical business practice (of large complexes) to do in-house visit. But they know it is SOP to do credit and criminal check. They will happily hand over a fat deposit so I am covered that way.

David [MI], so you are saying that you are plagued with tenants that trash the place, bring in extra pets and PEOPLE? If they do trash the place, you are covered with your deposit.

COOL. I don't do home inspections either. 750+ ficos, 4x rent income and $2k+ rent usually gets me a great tenant. If I can find a firm in NYC to do for me I might do it for my sub $2k places. They seem to attract folks with more complications.

You date someone that was single and they won't let you in their apartment. Wouldn't that be a red flag?

Oh yea, someone can come and visit me. My place is more cluttered than most of my tenants.

The how to:

Me: When you are sure you want to rent this house just give me a call and we will set up a time for me to come to your home and take your application and collect the deposit. I don't do applications until you are sure you want the house because we collect the deposit with the application.

Prospect: Oh I want it and can give you the deposit now.

Me: I am sorry but the only way we do applications is at your current home. We always do this and have to treat everyone the same.

Prospect: What if you don't approve my application?

Me: If something comes up while I am filling out your application that would keep you from being approved I will let you know right then. If you are not truthful on the application or something does come up unexpected, I will return your deposit minus the application fee which is $50. Are you worried about something specific? Why don't you think about it and let me know when you would like me to come over.

I think the home inspection is a great idea. I remember reading about it in a previous post written by Brad 20,000.

We did our first home inspection recently. It went really well. They were more than happy to show us the place on short notice. We already approved their application, but hadn't told them yet. The home inspection gave us the confidence to rent to them.

Yes I will do a driveby of their current residence (or at least google it to see the property and neighbourhood)

I once did a driveby of a tenants residence. The house and yard were a mess. I did NOT take heed and told myself, "it would be different" when they moved into my rental house....it was not, they ruined the home.

Paulette,

The form they sign is permission to enter the home and snap a few pics.

I think I'll bring this to Convention as a handout.

Dan,

You bring up a great point! Great idea to at least drive by when everyone is home. Just don't ASSUME things are OK if it's quiet. They might be out picking up junk to bring home!

Filthy people do not clean up before an appointment and true filth, fleas, junk cars, or hoarding cannot be cleaned up in a few hours.

(add fleas to the list! Check your socks when you leave!)

Also, the call to make an appointment can be a self-screener. When she did not want to allow the visit this saved me time and money. LOVE Self screening!

Apartments: you MUST go inside. The staff cleans and polices the exterior so a clean entry means nothing. Many apts even have rules against rusty or junkie cars, and boats, trailers, etc.

Heads up to some LLs: some of you are OCD about cleanliness. You clean after Molly Maids leave. NORMAL living produces a certain amount of clutter, dishes, toys, laundry, and some people are just not OCD like you! Clutter and piles will disappear when they move out or can be easily trashed. Parents working overtime or odd shifts may not make folding laundry a priority. Look for the tough stuff like damage, crayon on the walls, stink, vicious animals, and cooperation.

SID had an important point: They WANT our homes because ours are nicer and cleaner than the competition. ALso helps us attract quality applicants.

BRAD