Working for a property management company here in the Antelope Valley, I get several calls from people who have doomed their rental property by making the same tragic mistake. Generally, they will call me asking about our fees and services. After answering several questions about how we screen tenants and how much we can rent their home for, they drop the bomb...
"If I sign up with you, can you evict my tenant who is not paying the rent?"
AAAaahhhhh!!! It is an unfortunate fact that human beings are often taken advantage of. One reason being that we generally WANT to trust our fellow man. Equally unfortunate is the fact that there are so many people out there who would LOVE to exploit that trust! Almost every time, the desperate caller on the other end of the phone has committed the carnal sin of the rental market. The one tragic mistake that causes more heartache and trouble than any other mistake possibly could.
They let someone rent their home based solely on a handshake. Often times, they will say something like, "the guy seemed really nice, but now he hasn't paid his rent in three 
months." Someone can seem like the most awesome guy in the world. They can be charming, articulate, charismatic...and a liar! While you are shaking one hand, the other hand is prepping the dagger! Unfortunately, many people who choose to manage their homes themselves fall victim to this type of trap. In fact, several people have come to us with a non paying tenant who never even signed a lease of any kind! People are out there actively trying to find oblivious owners to prey on. That is why it is so critical to find out everything you can about someone BEFORE you turn over possession of your home. As a company, we have found that screening applicants intensely can pay off in huge dividends!
If someone tells me that they make $200,000 per year, I tell them, "That's awesome! So you should have no
problem when we verify employment, pull your credit, and check your rental history!" Honestly, I don't care how much money you make. You could be making $200,000 per year and STILL not pay your bills! Not long ago, I ran the credit of someone who made a NICE living. Unfortunately, his credit report showed that he liked the cool toys but he suffered from an aversion to PAYING for those toys. That is why it is important to verify everything that an applicant says.
Don't take their word at face value. Behind that face could lurk a mind with no values.
For professional help screening tenants and other solutions to today's rental market, please check out our website by clicking on the logo to the right!
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