Landlords are constantly trying to come up with new ways to screen their tenants. One of the most recent discoveries or, rather, developments in the “art” has been online tenant background checks.

There are many different methods of online tenant background checks and online tenant screening but few, if any, are as simple, straightforward, and effective as a Facebook background check.

Facebook is used by almost everyone these days. Most applicants to your rental units will have a Facebook account. As a landlord it is in your best interest to take a quick look at your applicant’s Facebook page.

Many people don’t tread too carefully when it comes to Facebook and other social media. They will post things on their accounts that they think only friends can see, but that, in reality, are often available to almost anyone willing to do a little perusing.

Now, I’m not saying that you should hack into someone’s account – of course, I’m not saying that. What I am saying is that you should at least type your applicant’s name into Facebook and see if a match comes up.

If a match does come up, then checking out their profile is a great tenant screening start. Many people these days have their profiles set on private. If this is so, chances are that you will still be able to see their profile picture. Take a look. If you can access their profile, wall, and other photos, then take a quick look around.

Keep your eyes open for anything fishy. I have come across several applicants to my rental units clearly violating the terms of previous leases in their photographs. For instance, I took a look at one applicant’s Facebook profile, and their profile picture was of them next to a hole in a wall…now, I can’t say for sure that it was in their apartment, but anyone glorifying a hole in a wall is not a good fit for my requirements for tenants. See ya! Next!

A Facebook background check is a very handy tool for any landlord to utilize. It is free and only takes a few minutes to do. It might not tell you much, but it is a great way to potentially weed out bad seeds without spending money on an actual background check.

Do you ever use Facebook or other social media sites for tenant screening? I am interested to hear back from any other landlords that use similar methods!

It’s something that not many landlords consider, but renting to disabled tenants really does has its benefits.

When I first started out as a landlord, I never even really considered disabled tenants as renters. What I mean is that I didn’t view them any differently than other tenants. I considered disabled tenants one and the same as other tenants. But then I learned that there are a few differences in the renting procedures with both of them.

First of all, disabled tenants are protected by law. This is one of the most important things for any landlord to know. Many landlords don’t know this for the simple reason that they have never even had a disabled person turn in a rental application.

The Fair Housing Act (FHA) is what protects disabled tenants when it comes to renting. It protects people with both physical and mental disabilities and strives to give them fair housing.

Basically, what the Fair Housing Act means is that you can’t deny a tenant because they are disabled. You also can’t ask them for their medical records or assume they can’t live in certain housing (you can’t tell a person in a wheelchair that no apartments are available when one on an upper floor is).

There is also a tricky little bit of business to understand when it comes to renting to tenants with disabilities. You must provide reasonable accommodations to tenants with disabilities when they rent from you.

Usually, this just means adjusting basic rules – placing garbage’s closer, providing handicap parking. Building a wheelchair ramp or installing an elevator is usually not considered “reasonable.”

You also have to allow disabled tenants to make reasonable modifications inside of their units. Tenants must be allowed to widen doorways – especially to bathrooms – to fit wheelchairs through. They must also be allowed to install metal bars near toilets and bathtubs. Luckily for you, all of this work must be done at their own expense.

Renting to a disabled tenant can sometimes be a tricky, but it is mostly the same as renting to any other tenant. Have you ever rented to a tenant with a disability? Do you have any tips for it?

It’s that time of year again – schools already the country are opening their doors for the start of another academic year. For landlords, this means a massive influx of new renters and tenants in the form of students. If you own real estate in a college town – like I do – then this can mean good business, but only if you handle things the right way.

Renting to college students – especially if you own buildings right next to a school – can be great. The primary reason is that there are just so many tenants to choose from. If you have an open unit, then it is almost sure to get snagged right up. In most cases, you will even have multiple applicants for each of your open rental units. This means that you will have a wider pool of prospective tenants to choose from.

But many landlords are also a little bit leery of renting to college students. For one thing, they’re young. Many of them are renting for the first time. Do you really want to rent to a first-time tenant? Someone with an unproven track record, a non-existent credit score, and probably a fair dose of immaturity?

Well, I certainly do rent to college kids. If you follow the tips that I list below, then you’ll have no problem with irresponsible college-aged tenants.

1. Do any landlords really rent without leases anymore? The answer should be NO! This is especially true for college students. Make sure that your lease is extra tight – have someone more experienced than you take a look at it – and make sure that you explain it in detail to your college-aged renters. And to their parents!

2. Speaking of parents, require that any college student renting from you – especially if it is their very first apartment – have a co-signer. A co-signer is responsible for late rent, damages, and so on. It is a safety barrier for you.

3. Set up rules about guests. Many college students try to squeeze their friends into their units. Girlfriends/boyfriends are a prime example of “guests” who stay for way longer than just a single night every now and then. Make it clear that unauthorized guests are not allowed. Also make it clear that unauthorized roommates aren’t allowed. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had college renters with friends living on the couch or in the closet (yes, the closet).

4. Contact your college-aged tenant’s parents at the first sign of a late payment, damage, or trouble. Oftentimes, kids get carried away living on their own for the first time and a simple warning from mom or dad can be enough to set them straight – especially when the parents are signed onto the apartment lease as well!

5. Strictly enforce all of your rules. Don’t let them slide. If a tenant is too noisy, let them know with a phone call and a written notice. It is okay to fine tenants for bad behavior.

This is all you have to do to embed an application like the one below!
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Hello!

If you can make your apartment units as attractive as Ryan Gosling, then you'll have prospective tenants lining up for miles!

As a landlord, it isn’t enough just to have apartments for rent. You have to actually make them attractive for renters.

A crummy-looking apartment just won’t cut it. Neither will an apartment that has broken appliances, torn carpet, or other damage. The same goes for an overgrown lawn. You simply must make your apartment attractive if you hope to, well, attract new tenant renters.

One of the easiest ways to make your apartment more attractive is to make sure that it is kept in good repair. This starts with the building’s outside appearance. At the very least, you should make sure that it gets a fresh coat of paint when needed. In addition, you should keep the windows clean and repair anything else that is looking lackluster.

The garden and yard area of your apartment building should also be kept trimmed and neat. Very few potential tenants are going to want to live in a building where the lawn is a disaster. The same goes for the parking area. Make sure that it is neat and swept, especially around the dumpsters.

You can also make your apartments more attractive by keeping the inside of the building clean. The hallway is the first thing that potential renters see before a showing so it should be clean and neat. Laundry rooms and other common areas should also be clean and in good condition.

Obviously, each individual apartment unit should be well-maintained. This is probably the single most important thing that you can do to make an apartment more attractive to potential tenants. A clean unit with working lights, water, heat, and appliances is absolutely necessary. You should also paint the walls, replace the carpet, and perform other maintenance when needed.

It is not hard to make your apartments more attractive to potential renters but it does take a little work and a keen eye. Keep an eye out for damages and fix them as they come up. And, above all, make sure that your apartments are clean!