Well I'm getting 3-4 inquiries a day, but all of them have evictions, recently out of prison, loaded down with zoos full of animals, unemployed, don't have any money, drug charges and on. Basically the pool of everyone that has been rejected everywhere else it looks like. Not that it isn't a clean apartment and a great rent rate, probably the best in town.

This one is a studio, just a one reasonable size room with a kithenette and small bathroom, pantry. My best prospect out of the swamp of applicants so far is a young lady with no rental history, and who just started her first job. But her parent will cosign. Yeah, I know.

I am also getting inquries from couples. The latest is a two adults, and two "fixed" (they said) cats.

My question is, has anybody rented to couples in a studio one room apartment, and did it ever work? It seems pretty crowded. I've been assuming this is DOA but maybe I should reconsider idk.

I'll rephrase the title.

"Hard to find GOOD renters". I could rent the apartment tomorrow and end up with a houseful of squatters or it burned down, torn apart by animals, hosting a drug den, etc.

Finding someone who will pay the rent and not damage the place? Nowhere to be found.

There is something about your property / price that attracts those less-qualified folks.

I would certainly consider the young lady with a job, if she acts mature with no helicopter parents doing all the talking. All on her own - like a grown up.

No cosigners - never have, never will. If you don't qualify on your own merits, you don't qualify.

Of course, she has to pass other screening requirements.

Oh yeah: Yes, I have 3 units that are advertised as can house two people (and have, a couple times. They only have double beds (not queen or king) so the ad says can house two if you don't mind being cozy. Mostly singles in them, & I limit to one animal.

A partner on some houses tried to rent a vacant one out. Partner advertised with low standards and rent amount. Big Mistake!

Her best find was a liar family with fake pay stubs.

So I re-packaged the property add, asking for More Money, Larger Deposit and higher standards.

I wanted 4X rent amount as income.

$25,000 in the Bank for emergency funds.

Cars and purchased product over Half Paid Off.

Fico scores over 780.

i rather have a little over occupancy than a trash tenant

You forgot living in hotels, "homeless" (one applicant kept putting down "through no fault of my own," but it was clear she was a bad employee)

Couch surfing, living with relatives.

Went down the "train the first time renters/young people" route. Doesn't work very well in BLUE states/cities.

I'll take young people who show responsibility but prefer them to have a rental history. I have a 23 yr old who has been renting on his own since 18 and has a steady EMT job.

I have two sets of first time renters right now. Had another set that bought a place and moved.

I have had zero problems with them. They pay on time and take care of the place. They know how hard it is to get a decent place with no rental history.

Was in one of the apartments a couple weeks back to work on a ceiling fan. They have a cat, which they pay animal rents on, but I could not tell. Nothing torn up, nothing smelled.

Now that doesn't mean I have always had luck with first time renters. I am still collecting on a judgement from a couple who said they knew the place was damaged but it was their first one so what did I expect.

I am getting my money back plus 8% interest. But now I am more watchful.

My issue with homeless applicants- and god knows I wish I could afford to house them for free, but I would end up homeless myself--- is that they WILL NOT LEAVE.

This is the biggest fear I have with renting to homeless.

They have nowhere else to go, so when they stop paying rent you basically will automatically have a squatter. And thats not even counting all the hatred you will get from everyone, for having to try to evict them.

Let some big apartment complex or corp like Blackrock with deep pockets adopt them. And as for those government employees with cushy jobs loaded with benefits who would be my judges. Let them take the guy in their own basement if they consider themselves morally superior.

As far as this young lady with no rental experience, my issue with her I am asking opinions about is her just starting her job.

This is a big change, to go from no bills living with mom, to having monthly bills AND just starting new employment, because you never know if that job is going to work out either.

IDK. It looks like a tall order. But its the only thing on the menu, and hunger is on the horizon lol.

@Ray-N-Pa [PA] what are five ways you are actively looking for leads?

Can you contact a nearby college or university and ask about posting online or physical information about your rental? Can you ask for advice where to post? Your studio would be an ideal for a graduate student who has access to decent funds and a rental history.

I think perhaps we are seeing a serious change in the economic landscape. I heard recently that this October had the most layoffs since 2003.

Referral bonus reminder to all my quality residents

Visited HR at the local hospital and college in a nearby town

Business cards at every restaurant I dine at - card says we pay bonus for successful referrals (I try to drop off at least 20 business cards daily at various places)

Street sign in front of my places and again on street corners.

Church newsletter

QR code of the windows of each place so people can go directly to my application.

Ask elected officials for a referral

Inform my contractors when I have a place coming up.

Inform neighbors that they can pick their neighbors

Locate your local center of knowledge - for our small town it is the coffee shop and the hardware store and let the operators know you have a place.

Tell your barber and your wife's hair dresser. Ask to leave cards there.

Most of these approaches, you don't even need a place open so you can feed your waiting list for the next time that you do have an opening.

Now not all these approaches might not work for you. If you have a place in a transitional neighbor, you might not want to use signs for example.

JP, most so-called homeless applicants are Their Own Worst Enemy and their consistently poor decisions and lack of priorities led to their homelessness. They refuse to learn from previous experience and from others experience. They prioritize cigarettes and tattoos over rent. Many are drug addicted and will not live in a shelter because one of the rules is no drugs.

Ray, I just had a tenant give notice last night. They are some of the young kids and decided to move back in with mommy.

Was in the apartment two days ago and it is in great shape.

I went to my website to list it as coming open when I was reminded of someone applying for my wait list. I had already ran her name so I sent her a message thru the portal.

Changed the website and will re-load the Zillow ad this evening.

My wait list states we will keep the info on hand for 30 days. I don't want to start cold calling people that might have already found a new place.