i am trying to rent my apt and a broker emailed me asking to show to her client

I am renting my apt for the first time so I am green on being a landlord. I have listed this apt as for rent by owner. It’s a co-op sublet with no sublet restrictions. that being said, I don’t know how to respond to this real estate agent. I feel wierd that I didn’t hire them and they want to show my apt to a potential renter. I don’t know if it’s wierd that they would be earning a commission off me. Maybe I shouldn’t care if they bring a qualified person. Any advice?

thatwasmyidea

in Landlord 12 years and 10 months ago

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slopefarm | 12 years and 9 months ago

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I say no to brokers. It’s my house — I want to show the rental unit myself and deal with potential tenants directly and without an intermediary who’s worried about collecting a fee and may want to nudge his way into my decisionmaking process. Also, I don’t like brokers. Period. I just don’t like them. I also advertise the place as “no fee’ — it is a selling point, and I push the envelope on price because I know that prospective tenants are relieved they don’t have to shell out a fee. I would hate to take in a tenant through a broker and then have them discover the listing.

elbow | 12 years and 9 months ago

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Broker’s always come out of the woodwork when you place ads. Just be clear with them that you’re not going to pay them anything. For residential rentals I always preferred finding my own tenants Although the brokers did actually bring in potentail tenants with enough income to support the rent, their screening beyond that was non-existent. I like to meet tenants in person to try to suss out problems before I lease with them.

curiositykilledthecat | 12 years and 10 months ago

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We always try to rent without a broker:  saves the tenant a lot of money, for which they are grateful, and it allows us to vet potential tenants directly.  Having said that, there is nothing inherently wrong with letting a broker bring a tenant to you.  As bobj, above, notes, the fee to the broker will be paid by the tenant.   However, a typical BS way brokers try to get you to sign on with them is to say, “Hey, I have some potential tenants (or, I have a great tenant)” when it’s really just a ploy to meet with you and give you their sales pitch.  What I am saying is, this broker who contacted you may not actually have a real potential tenant.   Good luck.

shahnandersen

in Landlord 12 years and 10 months ago

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Brokers as well as prospective tenants read the listings.  That’s part of what they do for a living.  The tenant pays the broker, you should not care.  Perhaps they have even pre-screened them.  The only thing you should NOT do is to try to rent the apartment to the person the broker sends you behind the broker’s back.  If they sent the tenant to you, they are entitled to their fee.