The right tenant in your property will make a major difference in your success as a landlord. Getting a good tenant in your property really comes down to two things: marketing and tenant screening in Salt Lake City.

Marketing your Rental Property

First, make sure the property is prepared for the market. The paint needs to be touched up, the home has to be perfectly clean, and the light fixtures need to be working and bright. You want to put some air fresheners in the house so it smells nice when people see it. Make sure the landscaping looks good. The details really matter. You’ll need good, professional signage outside, and you should hire a professional photographer to take some high-quality photos for your advertising. Professional photos will make a difference, and then you can write a good description that really highlights the property and the neighborhood. Mention any good restaurants that are close, and whether it’s in a desirable school district.

Get the listing out to the right platforms. In Salt Lake City, KSL and Rentler really have the market cornered when it comes to rentals. So, make sure your property manager gets your property featured there. You also want to work with someone who has the property management software to syndicate the ad to national sites like Zillow and Trulia.

Screening Tenants

There are five things to screen for when you’re finding a good tenant. Income is important because if they can’t pay the rent, it all stops there. Verify income and talk to the applicant’s employer. Landlord verification and references are also important. You can learn a lot by talking to other landlords. Ask how the tenants left the property, if they owed any money, and if they paid on time. Check credit so you know how they manage their finances. Obviously, do an eviction screening so you know if they’ve been evicted before. Finally, do a criminal background check. Be careful, because there are new federal regulations that won’t allow you to deny an applicant based on a felony alone. Make sure you have a good, documented reason that a particular crime makes a bad tenant. A good property manager will help you with this. Property managers will also have solid application criteria and a good system in place to properly screen tenants and protect your best interests.

If you have any questions about tenant screening or anything pertaining to Salt Lake City property management, please contact us at Rize Homesource.

Posted in Uncategorized