I am scared to talk to prospects now. Some will blame us for anything and make up stories. Text communication is safer. --97.91.xxx.xxx

Agree. I have started putting in ad a phone number with Text only. No voice. Can't follow the request then don't respond or respond with text only required. There may be a few who can't text oh well. Next! --99.203.xx.xxx

Toughen up. Get organized and make them all go through the same exact process. If you know it's working, then it's working. They're just looking to get around it otherwise. --50.107.xxx.xxx

--23.121.xx.xxx

Texting is just a game of wait and wait. Real estate, time is of the essence. One minute on phone to weed out bad prospects, never having to deal with them ever again. If good, two minutes to setup a showing. --198.135.xxx.xxx

Also , I do NOT disclose my phone number in my ads. They email me with THEIR phone number and I call them, and do not disclose the address of the house until they pass my screening. --198.135.xxx.xxx

I am thinking we need to record everything with prospect if we meet. That is just too much work. --97.91.xxx.xxx

I think you should sell your rentals or hire a professional manager --72.231.xxx.xxx

Ken, managing my rentals is my job for living. I have been doing it 20years now. Anything I do for living I will have the same problem. --97.91.xxx.xxx

--172.58.xxx.xxx

You have been at this for quite some time. No need to stick with new methods if the new methods aren’t working for you. --172.58.xxx.xxx

My problem is my accent and poor English. Also I am too busy to answer phone call and 95% phone calls are about "want to some one" "want more information". My tenants do not call me at all. They know it is much easier to text. --97.91.xxx.xxx

Nothing wrong with requiring text only. Also nothing wrong with requiring online application. As long as requirements for everyone are the same, --172.58.xxx.xxx

I don't have a website, but I use a google form for my application. However, I won't even send it to prospects until I have the application fee paid in full. It helps to avoid situations like this. --73.177.xxx.xx

Stop doing the lockbox for a couple days.. You are getting unsafe applicants. --73.248.xxx.xxx

You have described an applicant who does not want to pay an application fee, take this at face value - they do not want what you have open, so close off contact and keep looking for someone who likes what you have. --76.188.xxx.x

I know many successful landlords who have accents and who do not speak English very well, but it doesn't stop them from spotting a liar and a problematic tenant to weed out of a tenant pool. Your places must be pretty good if people are getting desperate to move in. Just keep strong and only let people who pass your screening into your places. Best of luck and take care. --107.142.xxx.xx

I know my accent is ugly. Texting give me time to think and correct mistake. --97.91.xxx.xxx

I switched from big bank to small bank. I text to my bank person for loan and get some bank fee waived too. They like to text with me too. --97.91.xxx.xxx

Your accent is fine, and it sounds like you found a good system to communicate with prospective tenants via text and online forms. I’m glad that you found a good bank too and hope that your investment loan is producing results. Best of luck with your current open units and hope that you find some great tenants soon. --73.93.xx.xx

Take a look at the ad on the internet then mention in the ad that all adults must completely fill out rental applications along with providing pieces of photocopied identification. Many jurisdictions the vacancy rate is dropping along what has happened in Ontario where the rent control along with the broken rental dispute process many of the smaller rental housing providers sold houses or sold apartment buildings to larger corporations where those who handed out keys with handshake are no longer. So if a tenant who is in eviction merry go round is going to find next to impossible to find a rental as many are running credit checks on all adult applicants. Unpaid utilities are immediately disqualified as unpaid utilities and unpaid rent goes hand in hand together. Once the problem tenants find out about credit checks they will go somewhere else. Had people if they did not get apartment they would take to human rights tribunal. Told them if they wanted a apartment they would have go back to credit bureaus where if they fixed the negative credit they would get a apartment. They are completely dishonest where they often owe thousands in rent along many other unpaid bills. --147.194.xxx.xx

CJ I have a Google number in the ad and all calls go to vm. The vm says what the minimum monthly income (all sources) must be and tells people to fill out the rental inquiry form to schedule an appt. If they call the number or email me from Zillow etc I text them the form link from gvm online. This pre-screening replaces me talking to dead ends. If they fill out the form and meet my criteria I schedule a showing. Not a lock box since I do want to meet people and get a sense. Then if they are interested there is the application. --66.87.xxx.xx

I have a suggestion that can take a lot of the stress out of this process. It it better to have a separate phone just for dealing with applicants. Not a separate number that rings on your phone, a separate phone. You can get one that doesn't require a monthly payment. You only pay for service when you have a vacancy. They are cheap. This way the applicants never have your phone number or even a google number that rings on your phone. You can turn it off and it does not effect your tenants. When you fill the vacancy you can shut it off and the leave it shut off until the next vacancy. You can change the phone number whenever you need to. When these bad apples can't get ahold of you they will move on to their next victim. They will only keep calling as long as you keep answering. This is probably the most useful tool in my tool bag. --71.10.xxx.xxx

I did a disposable phone for my backup landlord to have while husband and I went in a long trip out of country. Don’t know why I didn’t think of that for screening prospects. That’s the value of this board. Great, simple solutions. --70.92.xxx.xxx