OK, HERE'S ONE TO CHEW ON

WAR STORIES PLEASE

how Many of us have had applicants, accompanied by realtors or just realtors without their client presenting and something In Our gut tells us this fish don't smell so great. ?

.......the potential set up for a habibility, mold, radon, structural, child proofing, dog bite claim, toxic waste, asbestos, etc.

........the husband dosen't want his credit run because,...............

But the wife checks out ok

........clean eviction checks but somehow the second months rent is the

last ya gonna see.

Professional,established film industry stuntman with great verifiable assets and income violating specific lease provisions by operating a """"stunt school"""" in your backyard and storing hazardous flammable and explosive materials in your garage.

Etc

Etc

Years ago when the tenants were few and far between and vacancies hard to fill I had my realtor pass along my vacancies to his email list of agents. I paid them $75 for a qualified applicant that signed a lease. I treated the applicants brought by a realtor no different than any others as far as screening. At the time, it helped me fill vacancies where other landlords were struggling. I don't think the tenant pool they brought were really any different than what I found elsewhere.

Do to location of & unique-ness the apartment have no trouble BUT my Dad at the time very ill ( he lived 2 hours away ) I had a lot going on in our lives & was afraid I wouldn't give 100 - 110% of my time to finding the right tenant, Interviewed three realtors known in town etc. - he was telling of many interest etc. ( most however had something that was not what we where looking for pets - extra person - commercial vehicle parking - after 10 days he was insisting that I lower the rent $100 -he got listing two weeks into Sept - now Oct 1st around the corner - He assured me if I lowered it $100 that would bring the tenant I was looking for. Again dealing with the holidays & my Dad ... in a week moment I said yes.

Like magic the perfect tenant on 11/15 - worked 20+ years UPS one 23 yr old son going to college out of state would be there when there wasn't school. GR8* credit divorcing thats why in need of housing

Tenant moved in Dec 1st -

I later learned realtor has Disney vacation planned for for after Thanksgiving - He was showing the tenant "disgusting - dirty - bad location listing ... Telling tenant if he can get what you like would you pay XXX - which was $100 less then my rent original was and $200 over what he wanted to spend.

So the realtor was playing us both certainly not looking out for my best interest nor the tenant as he wanted a particular price range.

A year later I had a for rent by own sign on the lawn for the upstairs apt. He called me what are you doing - The inventory is low - rental are in demand I can screen and do all the work etc. etc.

I said lets cut to the chase - you got both sided of my rental last time - You certainly didn't have my best interest - I gave up $1200 for the year because I listened to what you where telling me ... all along you where only looking out for yourself. Not even a thank you nor a postcard from Disney -

I'll take my chances without a realtor for this.

Never used a realtor to rent. Our realtor that we use to buy, good guy, a real pro and trustworthy - clueless about rentals LOL! He likes working with us because I teach him things :)