When you are going through the screening process you will eventually get to the point at which YOU MUST DO A THOROUGH IN HOME VISIT. If they ask that they can bring their animal with them to meet you again to collect a hold deposit, the answer is not no but #### NO!!!!

Keep going through the whole process of protecting your investent.

6x6

While any landlord is free to require such a visit as part of the application, I do point out that the big boys, the large complexes and PMs do not utilize such a visit.

In Home Visit ALWAYS before granting possession. ALWAYS!

I have turned down MANY applicants who qualified on paper but trashed the home they live in now. Saved me THOUSAND$$$ each time.

Current LLs will lie to get rid of a renter.

I think when LLs have a trashy stinky high dollar move out they must believe this was a one time rare occurrence, just against them.

BRAD

Brad, of course CURRENT LL will lie, that is why I said PREVIOUS LL reference , and court searches.

Also, unless they are hoarder or cooking meth, it should not cost thousands to remove trash they left.

For whatever reason (fear of being sued?) PREVIOUS landlords are now starting to lie. Ms. Excuses got a stellar review from her PREVIOUS LL. And yes it was the real landlord not just a friend/relative (I tracked him down).

Home visit

Credit Score

Had one in the hood who said keeping the "family pet" is a priority to them. So I did a home visit to meet fido ... it was a caged Pitbull. "Let him out" I said. "Can't do that, he doesn't know you" she said. "Then I have to reject your application. This animal will be a problem to me and the neighbors."

what was the point of letting out a pitbull in front of you?

As part of the move-in process, I require tenants provide their pets most recent vet documents showing the breed of the dog.

David,

Care to share the clause?

Also by asking to let the pet out in front of him showed that the pet was not friendly. Granted had they released the hound anyway there could be bloodshed.

I just paid $2000 to empty out a hoarder house and another $10,000 to replace the kitchen cabinets, vanity, rotted floors spoiled by urine, roaches, and mouse poo. She was there 10 year, long before I started requiring the In Home Visit.

So that one 2 Minute Visit would have saved me $12,000 AND hassle from the city about the stench flowing from her home.

Paid another $1500 a few years ago.

Neither of those figures includes cleaning and removing the urine soaked floors we had to cut out and replace.

Another was a cat hoarder - 28 cats - but the current LL said "They got rid of the cats" because they had moved the cats into MY apartment! Their old apt would have stunk like mine did in just a few days. That was a $5000 clean up.

We get very few responses from ANY LLs. The complexes are afraid of being sued so they won't say ANYTHING.

Nothing like seeing it with our own eyes.

The super clean folks LOVE to show off their clean home and decorating. Builds great goodwill with the soon to be resident.

BRAD

Brad, while I do see the value of in home visits, your example was, in my opinion, a poor one. If this went on under your roof for 10 years, you should have removed her about year two.

For MANY years, I collected rent so I was in my places monthly. I used to do yard work myself so I was around a lot. I had garages and sheds on the properties so again, I was around. Now that I have different type units and am not physically "hanging around" like I used to, I go into my units twice a year, unless there are maintenance needs. I don't make up furnace filter and smoke detector excuses... I just say, I'll be coming over next Tuesday at 10:00 to be sure everything is okay ... I'll be out of your hair in 10 minutes.

I am in the beginning stages of a nasty rehab that should never have happened. I knew she wasn't as clean as I would like but I didn't bother her and she paid the rent.

I have learned from the wise ones on this forum to put an end to thinking the way I did. Now if I have any concerns I address them promptly. I have to stop making excuses on why I allowed the bad behavior.