My elderly parents on the east coast are renting a property out. They refuse to use a property mgmt svc. No point in telling me why they should because it is moot. Does anyone here in the forums use a solid background / credit check service they can recommend? I pride myself in doing solid research on this type stuff, but I wanted to start here and throw this out there for any responses. Next up will be my google searches, etc.. Thanks in advance.
One little used secret that has worked for me very well over the years is once you have decided to rent to someone by checking out all references and credit etc.........simply drop by the prospective renters current residence un announced and check out where they have been living. Works for me every time !
"drop by the prospective renters current residence un announced and check out where they have been living" +1
Also just calling the current landlord can tell you all u need to know .......in fact a lot of times when i get applications the person will leave this part blank. just telling them i need their current info is enough to make them decide to keep looking...
Also just calling the current landlord can tell you all u need to know .......in fact a lot of times when i get applications the person will leave this part blank. just telling them i need their current info is enough to make them decide to keep looking...
I had a Real Estate Broker's license in Oregon from 1966 until 2004 and I can tell you from actual fact that often times the so called landlord is actually a good friend of the renter who isn't even the real landlord. That's why a drop by works better than a call.
I am handcuffed here. I am on the west coast. The parents are on the east coast -- age 78 (disabled Dad) and 74 (faster than me Mom). I am not sure we can orchestrate much of a dropping by type scenario. I've got two old schoolers who won't go that far. I suggested that they do the credit / background check before renting again since their first go round with this whole deal resulted in a damaged property that took a year to fix.
I've gotta move back there is what this amounts too to ensure that they don't get taken for a ride again. Thanks for the replies.
I've gotta move back there is what this amounts too to ensure that they don't get taken for a ride again. Thanks for the replies.
Do you know anyone younger out there you trust? It's not like you're asking someone to kill someone for you, just to check out some people's current living conditions. I'm sure you could find someone.
I drop by too. I tell them I have to send paperwork to their current address in the pre-screen and then also have them sign a credit check and background check waiver, which are both found online in a google search like "free forms". Usually, the threat of the check scares away a lot of them and then dropping by is the rest you need to know. I've even knocked on neighbor's doors and asked them, because I don't want assholes in my rentals pissing off their neighbors, partyers, drug dealers, wierdos, etc.
And property management firms aren't all bad. I'd say 75-80% of them are shit, but the other 20-25% are worth the vig. Especially in situations like this.
I drop by too. I tell them I have to send paperwork to their current address in the pre-screen and then also have them sign a credit check and background check waiver, which are both found online in a google search like "free forms". Usually, the threat of the check scares away a lot of them and then dropping by is the rest you need to know. I've even knocked on neighbor's doors and asked them, because I don't want assholes in my rentals pissing off their neighbors, partyers, drug dealers, wierdos, etc.
And property management firms aren't all bad. I'd say 75-80% of them are shit, but the other 20-25% are worth the vig. Especially in situations like this.
