ADVISE NEEDED ON HOW TO GET RENTERS
We have a beautiful apartment in our brownstone in Bed Stuy for rent. we have rented it before but the renter came through a friend. Now we have it available and have posted ads on craigslist only to have people come in who look like they could be running away from the law. I know…
We have a beautiful apartment in our brownstone in Bed Stuy for rent. we have rented it before but the renter came through a friend. Now we have it available and have posted ads on craigslist only to have people come in who look like they could be running away from the law. I know it’s a pioneering neighborhood for cheap rents but I do see a lot of decent people who rent in our block. Is there any advice anyone would have on how to find a good tenant?
As a renter, I have dealt with agents who I know for a fact did not check my references and lied to the landlord and said they did. As a landlord, I would never use an agent. I could do a much better job screening tenants myself.
Some good advice above
We have found tenants through craigslist and have been very happy.
My 2¢:
1. Give a lot of information in the listing. This allows the readers to pre-screen. I do 5 or 6 photos, a floor plan and a long description. I also provide hard copies at the open house.
2. As suggested above, do some prescreening over the phone.
3. Also as suggest above I would bet you are not charging enough.
4. Ask other folks on the block. We have a block association mailing list and this is something that comes up a lot. (we use google groups, but yahoo might have been better)
The first two postings on here are now gone. That is so wierd. One was very informative about how to pre-screen people over the phone. The second was mine, just saying good photos and spelling are appreciated by good renters. I can’t imagine why BS would remove them. Any idea what happened to them?
make the craigslist post using only caps
🙂
Nice looking picture, ask the “decent folk on the block” if they know anyone who would be interested in renting a nice place on the block.
I would rent the apartment but its in Bed-sty, your better off just leaving your stuff on the sidewalk and save them the trouble from breaking a window trying to get into the house.
All I can think re looking for a tenant in the Irish Echo is the ol’ Irish saying: “Drink is a terrible thing. It makes a man shoot at his landlord. And it makes him miss.” (full disclosure: I’m Irish. And have never once shot at my landlord.)
Maybe you can screen people on the phone first, and get references? Also, if there are any teaching hospitals nearby that can be good, because residents are dream tenants. You can reach out to the residency coordinator and see if there’s a housing liaison.
How big is the apartment? My daughter, who just graduated from The Culinary Institute of America is looking for an apartment with a room mate or 2. Is the apartment near transportation? Do you think the neighborhood is safe for a young 20 year old woman, who might have to work late?
Finally, how much is the rent?
“I rather pocket the money for that extra expense of a brokers fee”
The renter pays the brokers fee….
Also… as a person who has used agents and not… I gave my landlord a lot more “leniency” if I didn’t throw away money at the start of our relationship. I was more open to my landlord being a decent person and not just sucking money out of me.
The apartments that used an agent… the image is, they are just a business that wants no more involvement in the property than a monthly check.
Also, am I the only person who thinks it’s unethical to charge one party and provide the service to the other? What else could I pay for but no get to use? Should I pay the landlord’s car payments too?