In the Extended Vacancies post, I gave a very brief explanation of how I screen my Zillow applicants and that I use an in-person face to face interview to review/verify all of the data (Zillow App, pay stubs, bank statements, and my 2-page paper application) that I had collected so far on them. Since the Zillow App is always lacking in verifiable details and applicants can misrepresent (lie) about themselves on my paper application, my personal interview with the applicant is an attempt to separate fact from fiction. If everything in the personal interview turns out to be factual, there is a good chance that applicant may become my next tenant. I usually do 2-3 personal interviews and then determine which one among those will be the first to get asked for a deposit and 1st months rent.

My only question with this post is find out how many other DIY landlords here are doing personal face to face interviews with your applicants to verify information and hopefully determine who your next tenant may be.

And if you are not doing personal interviews, are you then just relying solely on the information that is on the credit /background report and/or your paper or online application?

No interview.

I require that applicants attach PDF of bank statements to the application. Money doesn’t lie.

Now, I do in-home visits but only if they are local. My last 3 tenants were from cities 150 miles away or from other states. That is what Zillow does best, it casts a large net over the entire U.S. rental market.

We rent to a lot of people who are just moving here - they don't have a permanent place to inspect or aren't even in the area yet. Or they are new couples. Whatever. As noted, Zillow casts a wide net and we are a transient area - NC is also a net-growth state as more folks move here than leave.

We have learned that, somewhat due to the OBX reputation for big beautiful vacation houses which we do not have, we will NOT rent to someone who has not put eyes on our tiny long-term cottages. We will let them designate a deputy if they know someone here (if we otherwise like their info) but we won't rent 'sight unseen.'

At those showings, we drill down on what WE expect, and we ask them what THEY expect.

THEN we do a full-blown app with background check.

I do the face to face walk through almost exactly as Roy stated. It is a way to confirm the screening data. I like to know what the prospect thinks about the house and how other rentals compare to mine? Facial expressions is important in determining a persons character - How they are dressed - condition of the car - did the prospect shoe up on time. And on and on

WMH,

I would never think of renting a place of mine to anyone who I haven't interviewed face-to-face. In my former career, I received a lot of training in interrogation techniques that included topics such as eye contact, body language, verbal / non-verbal cues, language analysis, etc. I can't count the number of prospective tenants who looked good that I passed on after having a friendly discussion about their application and my property. A couple applicants detected that I was employing the same techniques as their local PD, so and bowed out as gracefully as they could in mid-conversation. I know those people were able to rent from other landlords. One applicant I turned down, showed up about 5 years later to rent another property and admitted that earlier he had a drug problem and my questions really creeped him out because he knew he couldn't tell the truth and wasn't going to get away with lying.

Very close to what GKARL does.

I must meet all applicants of the future residence, including children, one year and above. I’ve had to find other reasons to deny when a teenager was evidently ADHD or a two year-old was hyper hyperactive. I had one three year old, who was a terror and whet in every room and opened

I must meet all applicants of the future residence, including children, one year and above. I’ve had to find other reasons to deny when a teenager was evidently ADHD or a two year-old was hyper hyperactive. I had one three year old, who was a terror and whet in every room and opened

I must meet all applicants of the future residence, including children, one year and above. I’ve had to find other reasons to deny when a teenager was evidently ADHD or a two year-old was hyper hyperactive. I had one three year old, who was a terror and whet in every room and opened

I always like to meet someone before I run their background information. But in the world of accusations of discrimination, in person meetings is not always possible when I have resident managers to show rentals and collect applications.

But a few tips:

1) It is a requirement to see the applicant sign their application form in person, and view their State issued ID card or Drivers License to confirm their identity.

2) Any blank left on a applications or bad handwriting can be corrected when reviewing the information provided before running ones credit.

I don't prescreen. I hold open houses where people can fill out applications on the spot. I tell them in advance what to bring. If they succeed, that tells me that they know how to read and follow instructions (crucial life skills).

When they hand me their completed application at the open house, I take the time to chat with them. I do a quick once-over of their application, which allows me to ask about anything that jumps out at me. If they brought kids, I chat with the kids while the parent is filling out the application. In a former life I spent all day, every day talking to strangers on the street, so I'm pretty good at casual conversation. People will tell you an amazing amount if you just listen to them. I mostly am assessing compliance and whether they bad-mouth their current LL.

I've discovered that specific words and phrases are golden. One question I ask: "I run a background check on all my applicants. Is there anything you'd like to tell me before I do that?" One statement I make: "I'm not so concerned with where you've been as where you're going." That phrase opens up a landslide of valuable information.

If I am going to be entering into a business arrangement with anyone, I would hope at a minimum that everyone would want to meet face to face with them.

NE is absolutely correct that once you place an online add its everywhere and too everyone. I don't specifically look for everyone everywhere. I don't need them all. I am looking for just one well qualified applicant.

So I understand, I believe Roy is asking, for some insight on what is the best way to whittle down that huge lead funnel.

Why am I not fan of Zillow? Some well under qualified leads from central NJ informed me that I wasn't the owner of a property that I advertised on Zillow and that I am a scammer and I will be going to prison. Do I try to explain to some yahoo eight hours away that the property is in a land trust and I am the beneficiary? Instead, I wished them all the best with their search and encouraged them to look and shop local (Please stay in NJ). I don't know why someone who is going to make such uninformed claims is coming my way - I really want them away from here as they probably aren't paying rent locally.

When casting such a huge net, where maybe only one out of every ten people deserve the investment of my time, I worry about any one of the nine probable non-quals. playing the fair housing card.

In the hood my showings were an "open house" for an hour or two.

Robin said " People will tell you an amazing amount if you just listen to them".

I could not agree more with that statement! With all of the bad actors around, if you give these people enough rope, they will eventually hang themselves.

I meet with the applicants at the tour and watch carefully their behavior, let them talk and open up.

In the Class C hoods where I screen/interview most of my applicants who have hourly paid working class type jobs, there is something that needs to be said here.

Out of the 20-30 prospects that answer my Zillow Ad, somewhere in that group will be someone who I will approve to be my next

tenant. However, if that person gets fired from their job the day after signing my lease, that person just became someone I would not have rented to the day before! I don't rent to unemployed people.

6er- I used to but rentlinx shut down. Wide net marketing in a rising marketplace works well. In a compressing marketplace, it can become a time trap sucking the life out some folks.

Rentlinx going along the wayside was one of the best thing that could have ever happened to me. Instead I had to learn to use auto responders. This allows leads to screen themselves out. The landlord decides where and when to stop automation and starts talking with people.

For many though, this sounds too much like change and AI. If someone doesn't want to change they don't have to. The great thing about this business is they be right both ways. If you haven't experienced enough pain yet, then there is absolutely no reason to change. People are allowed to bang their heads up against the wall.

Near me there is a guy that still rebuilds carburetors. He is awesome at the job, it just that there isn't a huge marketplace for it. Do you think he advertises to everyone and gets great results or does he advertise to classic car collectors. Do we really care specifically about them? Not really - he is allowed to do his own thing. Am I willing to lend the guy money based on that business model...not today.

I understand that targeted marketing may be hard to comprehend for some folks. It's all good. More isn't always better BUT that doesn't sound ALL AMERCICAN. The SBA not only teaches targeted marketing but they are a huge advocate.

I ask myself who do I want living in this specific house. Over all I like applicants with jobs. So go to the folks who are offering jobs. HR departments have a hard time finding people and these same people have a hard time finding a house that they want to live at. Around here we have two hospitals, Channel Lock, Vantage, and a college.

If that specific house a 2 bedroom 1 bath ranch for example, I might considering targeting where senior citizens are at. We have a senior center and many other places offer BINGO. Additionally a flier at the entryway of a VFW or Legion Hall does well. You are investing much in the cost of these marketing tools.

If you have a huge house, advertising with sports boosters may make sense. Also give your pizza shop fliers and offer them $50 or even $75 for qualified successful placements. Kids thrive on Pizza.

One of the techniques I use to keep a qualified applicant from walking away and looking elsewhere? I offer complimentary marketing.

Those most qualified folks that we all seek out, they are looking 45-60 days ahead. So I find that if I position myself as the go to housing source for HR or even a highly qualified keeper, they will probably pick me.

Roy,

I used to answer the phone and return all 47 phone messages.

MY experience of talking to people BEFORE reviewing their complete application is a waste of time.

Here's the home, here are tons of photos and a video, do a drive-by and look in the windows.

Caution: LLs are sued everyday for what they SAY in person or over the phone, even by text/email. I do not want communication before I see if they are truly a potential candidate.

Also, even if you did not SAY anything wrong they can still accuse you.

My system is super simple: we make our homes DESIREABLE, cleaner and prettier than the competition. They WANT our homes.

Tons of photos and a video walkthru means fewer questions or disappointments (too small, etc)

Full, paid application shows interest.

(Caution: NEVER fill in the missing blanks on their original application over the phone, etc. Make a copy for your scribbles. That original is your evidence to defend yourself.

Lockbox code to the 1 or 2 that are pre-approved before the In Home Visit.

Phone call to talk about move in funds, animals, appliance rental, details, answer their questions.

We only meet face to face with the applicant at the In Home Visit. 20% of those are rejected due to filth or suddenly they have no money or a felon BF they want to move in, so we move to pre-approved applicant #2.

Long distance In Homes - Google search a realtor in their area, pay $50. Well worth it!

Move in funds by Venmo or at my bank.

Lease by Docusign with 72 initials at key clauses.

Take the move in photos, pull the signs, change the locks, and reset to lockbox to a different secret code just for them.

Pick up the lockbox later.

Get selfish with your time and focus on the people who pass screening and are ready.

BRAD

I do a face to face with every single applicant before taking the application. I will not accept an application without it.

The face-to-face happens during the 2-minute in home inspection. They can hide anything when they're not at home. When they are at home, they can't find a single thing. It's all there, in it's visual, audio, and olfactory glory.

The 2-minute in home inspection is accurately named in that it takes no more than 2 minutes because everything is blatantly obvious. There's no hiding a thing. No mincing of words. No small talk. I don't need to ask them a single question or listen to them say a word, usually. I look, I sniff, and I listen. Usually only takes about 30 seconds to know if I want the person as a tenant or not, but sometimes I get "chatty" and it takes another 90 seconds before I have to "move on to my next appointment" which is usually meeting a buddy down at the local micro-brewery for a round. *grins

Do what makes you feel comfy and gets you a good renter. That's the name of this game. I'm not a full timer, and with 54 units I've got to think efficiency.

Incidentally, the only part of my process that takes any time whatsoever any more is verifying employment and landlord references. Those unfortunately usually require emails and/or phone calls. If anyone has ideas on streamlining those, I'm all ears! Ideally, I want to whole process to take 5 minutes, start to finish.

Roy, in your state, people still have personal responsibility. Therefore the tenant pool is MUCH better. You stated out of 20 or 30 inquiries, you'll get someone who is qualified.

In BLUE states, where personal responsibility has been removed should a tenant destroy your place, have bad credit, have a criminal record, that's OK and they will not be denied housing because of it. The laws protect the terrible tenants and the government will litigate against landlords who screen carefully--their definition of "discrimination."

So the numbers are more like 200-300 to find one applicant with that rare trait, personal responsibility.

Mapleleaf, by his own acknowledgment he is renting to people that the rest of us wouldnt take so i wouldnt count on his findings being equivelant to your findings.