What’s your favorite instant disqualifyer?

1. Can I do Rent to Own?

2. Can I paint the XX (which was just painted) instead of paying a security deposit?

When they say ‘“I’ll take it “ while on the phone, and this is before they have even seen it.

Callers from the local, weekly motel.

Prospects that walk in the front do and say “ l want it”

Prospects that bad mouth their currant LL. We have roaches and he won’t spray!

At a showing, derogatory comments trying to get the rent reduced are an instant trip to the door. I just kind of finish the showing and say, let's go out to see the garden and when I get them out and the door locked, I pick up my phone and pretend I have an emergency call and have to leave.

With the emails I receive from Craigs List, I ask questions about why they are leaving their current place, how many people will be coming and how they will pay for the apartment. Any odd things in those answers mean they are not getting a response.

People who ask for landscaping. "My dad's a landscaper. I'd like to totally re-do the backyard. Could you take it off my rent?"

People who verbally abuse or ruff-up their spouse or family while viewing the property.

People who use foul language, drip sarcasm, or are rude to me during the viewing.

People who lock their dog in the car when viewing then fill the app, No pets.

People whose children flagrantly misbehave and the parents make no attempt to stop or correct them.

All of the above plus the famous red flag, "can I plant flowers?"

1) Any kind of dumb alteration request...

Best example: I had spent days replacing three fence panels in the front yard by myself in the florida summer heat. Then after I started advertising a "prospect" called and wanted to tear down that fencing so that they could drive and store their work vehicle into the backyard!

2) "I don't have a social security number..."

"I need to move right away"

* I need a place immediately

* I have all the money today

* I'll leave the place cleaner than it is

* My boyfriend/girlfriend only visit weekends

JR,

Haha! These are great!

THIS is exactly why we don't show homes - wasting my time on folks like this. Fill out an app and THEN we'll talk.

-need the place immediately

-changing story

-wanting to negotiate

-complaining about the property , then wanting to rent it

-have a 'story'

- God Bless

- don't put someone on the lease

-late for appointment, but want to take forever looking (when i am ready to go)

-smoking any lying about it....I have a nose

Lynda in Texas gave my list.

the words

slumlandlord

mold

lead

service any animal

only smokes outside

working under the table

bartender

waitress

tips

working odd jobs

work with us

give us a chance

parking for 2 cars

etc

"Any attempts to "cheap out" during the showing. Can we take care of the lawn for reduced rent? Can we get a burn barrel instead of paying for garbage?"

"complaining about the property , then wanting to rent it"

Ick. I had one memorable group that used both of these tactics, trying to get the rent down.

The winner here is the BURN BARREL comment!

I love it!

This is a new one to me.

I've heard all the others over the years.

Thanks for sharing.

All of these from everywhere are priceless! No one could make this stuff up. Thanks for sharing.

The following are different applicants - I look at these quick tells as amusing time-savers when screening.

. I just need a place to move in with my baby mama for a little while. Then, we plan to break the lease.

. We'll try to have the money (required at lease signing) together by move-in day.

. My brother's not really a bad guy, just because he robbed a bank.

. One applicant I Googled had been convicted of stealing a car with a baby in the back seat.

. Maximum occupancy: two (2) for a 1/1 apartment. "You are anti-family because you will not take us four. I'm reporting you to the Tennessee attorney general." Yeah, good luck with that.

. We're relocating, will take it sight-unseen, and you WILL rent it to us! Keep up that attitude around here and you won't be staying long enough to need an apartment.

. Her: We're desperate! Won't you take us? Me: The 1/1 apartment is inadequate for your family of four. Her: (real snotty) Well, it's YOUR HOUSE! (At least one of us some sense.)

"Can I hold the place with my security deposit? But please don't cash this check for another month!!!" So, what this person is really saying is they want me to sit on my thumbs while they look for a better deal.

"I have a voucher" No judgement against landlords who accept vouchers but my house is large (2600 sf) and the rent plus utilities is just above what the program allows. It's a waste of time for me to show it to her.

All these are good to keep in mind, but none of them approach the one time I talked to a man for about 20 mins when he proudly announced that he would NEVER put up with someone that hits a woman. I replied something like, "I know what you mean." Then he began to tell me that he was a member of the Hell's Angels (biker gang that has been prosecuted as a Criminal Enterprise) & bragged that he'd served time for attempted murder after sticking-up-for a woman!

This was before cell phones, so I couldn't pretend that I had an 'emergency' call! I had to start telling him reasons why he DIDN'T want to rent it! (I didn't want him taking offense, & coming back to vandalize my house.)

I’m still trying to figure out why asking if they can plant flowers is a bad sign. That usually means they actually care about the appearance of their potential home.

The best instant no I ever got was a woman coming from out of state, with no job, who had a church paying her first months rent.

* Can i give you deposit so you'll hold place for 45 days.

* I have no prior places of residency.

* Ive applied everywhere and already spent X on rental applications.

* I went to court this morning with my current landlord ( this one happened this week).

* why isnt your house pet friendly? I tell em my house is "pet free".

Call on phone and ask, (can you work with me on the deposit?) I say, you have not even seen the House, you may not like it.

or they say, what about animals?

I say, what kind?

They say, i have an old puppy,

i ask what kind?

Here's one...

My favorite disqualifier was the one where the application showed that the applicant was 20 yr old but she looked to be 35+;

and, where she could not provide any paper documentation, only electronic copies of driver's licenses, or photo ID and had to go to the Social Security Admin to get a copy of her SSN card; and where her facebook page was newly built, populated with photos as if just set up to be available for the application process.

Another one, is where they are really picky about every little thing and request a repair if they move in...eg the window AC has a knob with a chip in it and they ask to have the AC replaced if they rent in.

Bad mouthing current or previous landlord.

Smells like cigarette smoke and is applying for a non-smoking unit.

My boyfriend lives with his parents; he won't be staying over very often.

Cannot follow instructions, e.g does not fill out the application completely, and where I instructed them to meet me at the gate at the front of the house but they keep knocking on the front door;

and high maintenance people... who need to call or text me every 10 min to tell me where they are on their way to see the property. People who do not understand English.

OK, I will play:

Me : Why are you moving?

Applicant : I was evicted and I am suing my former landlord for " putting me out illegally "

Me: I would need good landlord references.

Thank you!!

Can I change the locks?