How To Find The BEST Tenant.....
Because the demand for section 8 housing is so high can I ........
Screen and Interview 10 different people, get all of their information and tell them I will get back to them on a certain date(after i have interviewed everyone else). Then just rent to the person that I feel I trust the most (the one who takes best care of their own property and has the best record)......... or do I need a vaild reason to turn down the first person that comes along?
Thanks For the Help!!!!!!!!!
I'm looking forward to an answer as well as we have 90% of our properties in Roanoke, VA, and we're considering renting to Section 8ers.
Thanks,
OTW
OTW,
Why do you buy so many homes in VA. when you live in WI
I know for a fact that here in Florida,(I'm not sure about you state), you can screen your tenants and rent to whomever you please. It is probably the same where you are to, so I believe you are doing it right. Good Luck.
I was curious because I have heard of people who have gotten into some trouble or been accused of not renting to someone because they had several kids. (I wouldn't do that)
,but if i interviewed 10 people and obviously only piced one I wouldn't want those other 9 people accusing me of not renting to them for all sorts of crazy reasons
The whole key is consistency and uniformity in how you treat all the interviewees. For example,(as ridiculous as it may seem) you can't offer one couple a cup of coffee and not offer coffee to all/or just some of the other interviewees.
You have to use the same form, ask the same questions, and do the same investigation routine for all prospective tenants. You should keep a file with notes on each applicant, and why they were not selected.
The Fair Housing Laws are convoluted. The fine for discrimination begins at $15,000 and goes up from there depending on the abuse.
Sammy,
Thanks for the response, I never thought about keeping records on the people i turned down. I guess what I am mostly worried about is that one person might seem more qualified but if they act rudely towards me and I don't trust that I can build a good relationship with them, or they just seem spitefull, I wouldn't want to get into trouble for turning them down..... I will take it on a case by case basis, it sounds like a risk that all landlords take and I will too.
Thanks again for the great post
You can check there records, and past rental history, but you really never know, I rented to a nice lady, clean, nice car good job history.
She was a nightmare, I gave her my best rental place , it took me for ever to get her out, and after I finally got her out, now I have to replace floors, redo walls burned up one of the rooms , this is going to cost me about $10.0000 to get this rental back on the marked.
So believe me you never know.
RK
Yea I see what u mean, but all you can do is go with your gut feeling.
Thanks for all the advise....
I know that I screen as many potential Section 8 candidates as I can until I find one that I'm comfortable with.
As far as kids are concerned, they usually are the determining factor in the amount of the rent voucher. A single mom with 5 kids needs at least a 4 bedroom (Sec8 has strick rules on children sleeping all in the same room). Less kids equals less rooms equals less money.
Reguardless, I don't provide any information to any of the applicants on why they are turned down. I simply tell them that I'll run their credit and call if they are accepted. Then I don't call.