Townhouse Garden Rental Advice

Looking for advice and guidance on listing and renting out a garden level apartment of a townhouse in Brooklyn. I do not want to go through a real estate company like Corcoran, etc. Real estate companies will not be vet as thoroughly. I want to be more involved in the vetting process of the future tenant via background, credit and previous reference checks. We live in the townhouse, have small children and have family routinely visit. We want to ensure our next tenant is respectful, responsible and not a liability from a physical, emotional and financial standpoint.

Finally, if you have suggestion related to implementing additional riders that you’ve found to be helpful, please let me know. We already have the following – No smoking or drug use, no parties and loud noise, renters insurance, etc.

bkcontractorwhistleblower

in General Discussion 1 day ago

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Putnamdenizen | 13 hrs ago

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Lol – no parties – right! I mean I guess they can look for someone quiet and even advertise for that. Renting inside one’s home is stressful and can feel quite intimate depending on the set up. Will a broker help? Maybe? Or maybe just finding a good platform to advertise, having an open house, meeting people, and seeing how it goes. We all learn by doing!

WrathOfGates | 14 hrs ago

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Maybe you’re right, but hard to look past his inability to relinquish control to an agency that obviously would have more experience in the matter than someone who is posting in a forum looking for advice.

That, and the no parties clause. I could never imagine telling any of my tenants, who willingly pay me a reasonable but substantial amount of money each year, that they weren’t allowed to celebrate a birthday or whatever.

Could you even imagine if they don’t recycle properly?

Putnamdenizen | 16 hrs ago

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This is a tough crowd! I read the poster’s concerns a bit differently – that they were trying to be protective against, physical, mental or financial damage to them or their house, not that they were vetting the potential tenant on personal characteristics. That said, one is allowed greater deference when renting out an apartment in a two-family owner occupied house. Unlike, say Seattle, where I believe an owner is mandated to rent to the first qualified, applicant, one is allowed to look for someone who is a good fit. As others have said, a broker might help you figure out the sweet spot between you feeling confident in the tenant and relevant non-discrimination laws. That said, I have never used a broker in the almost 25 years I have rented out an apartment. Never had a huge problem either renting the place or with the tenants I selected. My last rental to a stranger (10 years ago) was through a post in craigslist. I have asked a buddy who recently did an apartment search to find out what platforms are most used now. I will post another answer when she replies.

amt230 | 1 day ago

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I like to assume the poster wants to access information about potential tenants to use lawfully and not discriminatory, but the lawyer and landlord in me can’t resist to note that what you are proposing is already potentially unlawful, and you would be well-suited to work with a realtor who can alert you to these realities and help you navigate.

As just one example, you say “no…drug use.” You should say no ILLEGAL drug use, buy I am going to make a short leap and assume you mean that to include cannabis; however, provided it is not being smoked or vaped, what you propose is inconsistent with:

https://cannabis.ny.gov/landlords#:~:text=Real%20Property%20Actions%20and%20Proceedings,authority%20and%20enact%20eviction%20proceedings.

If you haven’t thought twice about tenants after reading these replies, you might after you follow that link and see they are permitted to GROW it in your house.

WrathOfGates | 1 day ago

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Another way I can translate this post is:

Looking for advice and guidance because I am very unfamiliar with landlord/tenant law. I don’t want to hire a broker who would have this knowledge because I am openly admitting to wanting to discriminate against candidates that have physical disabilities or mental health issues. Any suggestions on how I can do this without getting dragged into court?

amt230 | 1 day ago

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I have to agree with others, it doesn’t sound like you are ready to have tenants. A realtor will have far better resources and tools to vet candidates, and you should meet them to make your own assessment, but your post seems more about exerting control than finding the right tenant.

And your user name, “whistleblower”?! You must be fun at parties….

BobMarvin | 1 day ago

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I should further explain that:
1.. I think my former landlord’s visit was a good way to vet a prospective tenant
2. you should understand that it’s hard to avoid having some personal relationship with a tenant in an owner occupied two family
house.
3.. I can’t imagine many tenants accepting the draconian conditions tou propose.

ALSO I agree with the previous poster— DON’T rent the apartment. i’m very glad thatbwe have a single family house without tenants, however good they might be be.

BobMarvin | 1 day ago

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I haven’t lived in a rental apartment for >50 years, so take my advice with a grain of salt. When we wanted to move from one apartment to another in the South Slope our prospective landlords, who had a two family owner-occupied brownstone, asked to visit us. While there they asked to use the bathroom, which we later realized was a sort of inspection. I understand why, because their tenants would have to pass bybtheir open fromt parlor to get to the top floor apartment. . We passed muster and got along well for two years, becoming quite friendly. Our cat learned how to poop open the door of our apartment and often ended up sleeping with our landlords, to their delight and that of their cocker spaniel, who loved cats.

WrathOfGates | 1 day ago

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Owner of a townhouse with 2 rentals for the past 25 years and my best advice for you is not to rent the space. A tenant over the course of their occupancy is going to inevitably do something that upsets you – that’s just the reality. Your overly stringent qualifications only add to the certainty of this occurring. Nobody is going to pay upwards of $5k to live under your Draconian rule – especially with two young kids running around on the floor above and in the backyard of their living space. I can only imagine the code which those children must abide by.

A real estate agency has way more resources to vet a candidate than you do, unless you are in some sort of investigative profession. They also have a vested interest in protecting themselves from any potential liability. Honestly, with the new broker fee law and your ridiculous requirements, I doubt one would work with you unless you paid them a significant amount.

I understand screening a potential tenant based on their financials and references but how the
F@$% are you going to assess their physical and emotional wellbeing?

Will you put them through a Marine Corp style PFT while screaming at them and blowing a whistle? Strap them to a chair in a dark room and play a little Beethoven?

Lighten up Francis.