I do a showing. Folks say they are interested, but then do not follow though with turning in an application. I have always felt that I should only deal with folks who are adult enough to make it though the application process without prodding.

Am I wrong, do you call folks up and ask if they are going to submit the application they said they were going to submit?

I'm in the same spot. Trying to rent out my 2 bed home. Loads of lookers, many taking applications and out of 20 aps given out, only ONE returned it. He was a great candidate, but decided he wasn't ready to move from his apartment. Everything else was great.

But, I would not call anyone. I think they might consider it stalking. Probably a good reason they aren't returning the applications. Maybe it's their credit/finances, maybe they don't want you to find out what their current Landlord might say, or maybe they don't want to tell you they are being evicted.

If they can’t return an application they either don’t want the apartment or you don’t want them. If they aren’t responsive when they want something imagine what their responsiveness will be like as a tenant when you want something from them.

Laura,

I understand. It happens to me too. And I do call some of them back,...but not all of them. I only call the ones that I liked at the showing and I think may have a decent chance of getting approved. They seem to welcome my phone call, it tells them I care about them and would like to see them again. My phone call is nothing more than a courtesy call.

There is nothing wrong in calling good prospects. Why not call them and ask if they need more time.

I leaned a lesson from my mom some years back. When you get an exceptional person who was interested in your rental, sometimes you will have to sell them on the property.

I agree with Robert J's Mother. You have to sell them the property. This approach works me 100% of the time. However, if you show houses with only a lock-box, then this method will rarely ever work for you.

If you don't have a lot of prospects and this one looks like a good one, I would call. I usually do it with the pretense that they saw it higher on the list than others and I just want to check. Although I might not say that right away. A conversation might give you insight as to why they changed their mind, or you might be able to answer questions or concerns that they had.

This may be peculiar to me, but I DETEST the term "reach out" when it comes to adults. It suggests to me the type of care one must use when dealing with an infant or toddler who is not capable of knowing what to do, so I have to either coax or drag them along.

I want only cooperative, capable tenants. "Reach out" for applications and I think you'll be "reaching out" for other things like rent, establish trash service, hoping they'll return calls for maint appointments, etc.

I don't recall seeing the phrase "reach out" in everyday usage until about 5 years ago. My guess is corporate American motivational gurus decided it was less self-esteem damaging to coddled Millenials to say "I'm reaching out to you" vs. just asking people what they are planning to do. I can see some corporate motivational guru saying to a meeting of supervisors: "Remember when you use to have to 'pester' your employees to get their work done? Pestering is such a combative way to communicate, and employees don't like to be pestered because that hurts their self-esteem. So instead, you now 'reach out' to them and ask how their day is going, if they're feeling okay today, and request a status update on their work."

Bottom line: I think it is a politically correct piece of garbage. ;-)

I get a lot of potential applicants who are testing the waters to see how careful the screening is going to be. Once they talk to me and know they won't pass, they disappear.

We were getting lookers at a sfh, but no applications. I created a brief survey to determine just why they did not apply. I then called, politely, identified myself, and told them that I was trying to determine what people in that market were looking for, and could I ask a few questions to help me market the property/make it more appealing? All agreed.

Laura,if the prospect looks like a good prospect I have them fill out the application right there and then.I don't let the application out of my sight.If they're interested enough,they'll do it if not,to hell with them.Why should I be their babysitter.I also get their check for the Credit Check fee ..........charlie..................I'm cheap,it costs to print an application........

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..................I know not much,but something.........................