When you have advertised your property and you start to get leasing calls, you need to be prepared with a few questions for your prospective tenants. This can save you time because you don’t want to show your property to every single person who calls. Make sure the person will work for the property.
Moving Dates
Find out when the tenants need to move. Some people call about a property months in advance, but if you have a property that’s available now or next week, that’s not going to work for you. You don’t want to waste your time if they can’t move in right away.
Number of Occupants
Try to find out how many occupants are going to be in the home. You don’t typically want to put eight people in a two-bedroom home. There are some guidelines you can use as far as number of occupants per property. Typically, we follow a two people per bedroom rule. That can go a little higher if there’s an infant or a small toddler. But you want to know if there will be more than that.
Talk about Pets
Ask if they have pets because if you don’t allow pets, there’s no point in talking to someone with a dog or a couple of cats. Decide whether you will accept aggressive breeds and if you’ll restrict the number of pets and whether they are inside or outside pets. Ask these types of questions and make sure you’re okay with the answers.
Needed Property Amenities
Ask about what they expect and need. Do they need washer dryer connections? If you don’t have a washer and a dryer or a dishwasher, find out if the tenants are okay with that. If they want something you don’t have, save yourself a trip and don’t bother showing the property to those tenants.
Rental Amount
Ask how much rent they can pay. Can they afford what you’re asking? Sometimes people will try to negotiate and you may or may not want to do that. Ask if they will have the security deposit immediately, or if it will take them some time to get it together. You want to know how much money they have today to move in.
Length of Tenancy
Find out how long they want to stay. Ask if they are willing to do a one-year lease, and decide if you are okay with six months or month to month. Know your parameters and see if their lease terms match up to yours.
These are some tips and questions you might want to ask when a prospective tenant calls you. If you have any other questions, please contact us at Browning Gordon Property Management Company.
