--107.216.xxx.xxx

That's what i do. FIRST you must view. --172.58.xx.xxx

Sid, my policy has been that they must view the house first before I will give them an application. I do ask prequalification questions before setting up a time for them to view the property. I also prefer that the woman see the house rather than the man, because I have had a few times that the man has seen the house and then the woman says it won't work for them. --149.19.xx.xx

Same here plenty. --173.47.xxx.xxx

is part of the screen x3 process. --199.192.xxx.xxx

I don't accept someone sent by proxy to view the place for them. They are welcome to bring their friends to the viewing but the person who will be living there needs to come themselves and meet me and see the place. --72.188.xxx.xxx

I don't accept someone sent by proxy to view the place for them. They are welcome to bring their friends to the viewing but the person who will be living there needs to come themselves and meet me and see the place. --72.188.xxx.xxx

It may work for a non mobile clientele, but would serve to exclude your house from consideration for relocating families. --67.43.xxx.xxx

To explain to some newbie here: you set up an appointment for someone who never saw the property-- your inside they drive around and say gee I don't like the neighborhood-- your still inside while they drive to Mikie D's. --99.103.xxx.xxx

But I would want to know what would cause an applicant , after seeing 30-50 high res photos of the place, to change their mind after viewing it in person. That would be good information to know as a ll --50.4.xxx.x

All PRinciples must be at appointment. Means anyone over the age of 18 must show. --99.103.xxx.xxx

Not to say a ll should not require all applicants to see the house in person, but this info is good to know! --50.4.xxx.x

I am amazed at how much I learn every time I visit this board. I have experienced a lot but what I'm learning here as you guys are sharing is very informative. Thank you for sharing and keep sharing. --184.57.xxx.xx

IMHO, requiring in person viewing locks you into the pool of tenants moving from one rental in your town to another rental in your town. They are not motivated buyers and are constantly looking to move to another house in your town if it is priced $20 cheaper per month....hard to push rents with this crowd. --67.43.xxx.xxx

That’s been my policy for at least 15 years. Don’t want anyone taking shots in the dark. Talk about a real time waster. --66.169.xxx.xxx

Thanks for all of the comments. Getting some great ideas: keep them coming! --107.216.xxx.xxx

Sometimes we get people here visiting from out of state with the intention of relocating here who don't understand what the different neighborhoods are like. The photos might look okay but they may decide they don't like the area once they see it in person. --72.188.xxx.xxx

My mom once rented a house to a friend of the previous tenant who was moving in from out of state. When they got there the wife was almost hysterical because there was some mildew in the corner of the basement wall by the sump pump. We told them we could give them back their money and they could find a new place. The husband, who came into town to finish his medical degree, was able to finally calm down his wife and explain to her it was just mildew and not "deadly mold". They were there for two years until he finished his degree. --149.19.xx.xx

My experience is that applicants lie and I have a better chance of catching some of those lies face to face. --76.178.xxx.xxx

I had a few people from out of state wanting to apply but they would not be able to view first. I really was and still am unsure of the best way to handle that situation. One couple, I sent them photos of the outside to give them an idea of what they would see. There is a commercial mixed warehouse across from my property and there are some boats stored there and they didn't like that view. --73.120.xx.xxx

I will add, I like the fact that you said before processing the application. That way you have not spent time processing but have collected the application and fee. Smart! --73.120.xx.xxx

I have never accepted an application unless they've been inside the unit. I personally cannot imagine anyone turning in an application, let alone paying a fee, for a place they've never seen. I get local applicants. I cannot remember even one from out of the area. If I had that type unit, I probably would need to rethink my methods. Per a recent thread, I am big on open houses. --72.70.xxx.xxx

I’d say it depends on the type of home. The Class B homes I am not worried about renting sight unseen. Now some of my Class C? Yeah, I want them to see the house. --67.43.xxx.xxx

Funny the good applicants wait. --99.103.xxx.xxx

We have rented to lots of people from out of state or country, sight unseen but mostly graduate students from other countries or states. Biggest time waster in my opinion is communicating to anyone about an apt unless application has been completed, 2nd time waster is showing apts to people not pre qualified. --73.227.xxx.xxx

You're right that it saves a ton of time! --107.216.xxx.xxx

Sid, I would recommend eliminating " then after I've seen 30-60 minutes verifying all their stuff" that step. I dont do any real verifying until app completed, seen the apt, I like what I see and hear and then I start the process. The last 3 viewers, lied about actual employment. But no biggie I didnt have anything invested in them anyway. Show apt to a group of "pre qualiers" only. Then start the real work of separating the truth from the lies, hint, they all lie! --73.227.xxx.xxx

But all are prescreened to see if they even qualify. --98.114.xxx.xxx

Wilma, that is exactly what I have found works best. I always want to meet everyone, but if I don't meet the children at the rental, I do expect to meet them at the in-home inspection. --99.165.xx.xxx

I will not rent a home without the family seeing it first. I also like to have the whole family see the home. While they are looking and talking to me I am looking at them. Are the kids under control? Do they work well together? After that comes the application and screening. It may add more work to the process but then I don't do many evictions. --174.250.xx.x

i make them drive by and then take their money when they come to see it. they can drop out but the cash stays with me for the "screening". i make a few bucks on a screening so it is not an issue. the more drop out, or get tossed for crummy credit reports or such, the better for me. just as we decline folks they might decline us...either way it's on their dime. heads we win, tails they lose --76.173.xxx.xxx

I usually handled finding tenants on my own. due to being out of state, i hired a realtor to find a tenant. Found one, approved, moved in, didn't like the area, and due to "fast processing" she was able to break the lease using the three day attorney review period applied to all contracts in NJ. UGGGGH! So, got a new tenant.... he's been there six weeks, and although he moved from NYC, he's "afraid".. someone knocked on the wall. Good grief!!! He is under lease but it looks like i will be chasing him for money, and trying to find a new tenant.... YEAH. MAKING THEM SEE IT IN PERSON MAKES A LOT OF SENSE. --67.61.xxx.xxx

The most qualified application gets called in for an interview. --66.108.xxx.xx

--97.120.x.xxx

I'm having too much fun! --174.249.xx.xx

Once I qualify someone, I email them the documents required to rent by law here: lead pamphlet and disclosure, lease, rules and regulations, application. Then I ask them to review all before they view the place and come with the application completed, credit check amount, and to email any questions ahead of the viewing. This serves several things for me. First I have a record of giving them the required documents. Second, the ones that show up prepared stand out and save me the in person time, as I show often comments are made that let me know nothing I sent was even looked at, so those lookers are out...and if anyone doesn't like the lease, they should know before they come. And all this prep inconveniences the current tenants less. --176.113.xx.xxx

I would never even consider renting to someone I had not met in person. Maybe I'm old school - but I set up open house times and everyone that will be living there must come in person. I've had some people get upset - her husband had to work, couldn't come to look at the place.....sorry - I have to meet everyone, EVERYONE, children included. I was ready to take an application from a couple with 3 children. They left the kids in the car - I said bring them in, I'd like to meet them. The children were hellions....they would have destroyed my house. No thank you...Plus, I have been told that you have to witness their signature in order to run a credit report on them......so not sure how that works for some of you. I've met other folks that I could tell would not take care of my place and it's just not worth it to me. I want good, clean tenants with good credit. --24.235.xx.x

I'm an out of state landlord for 20 years. I have a tenant in one place for 3.5 years, just met them this year. Another tenant in my place for 8 months, never met her. --174.249.xx.xxx

We will not rent to anyone who does not show up in person and we don't provide applications until they do. We get a lot of folks wanting to do virtual tours and such, and even through Covid we said no. It isn't just about them liking the unit or the neighborhood and being comfortable, it is about us knowing the person who is renting is the person they claim to be. Meeting them is part of the process. If they can't come they can't rent from us. --108.252.xx.xxx