If you were born before 1986, you have probably heard a lot of Georgia Tech alumnus Jeff Foxworthy’s ‘You Might be a Redneck, If…’ jokes.  Well, I’ve compiled a similar list that pertains to types people you shouldn’t rent to.  And they aren’t jokes.  So, without further ado…

  • If they show up to view a house 30 minutes late, without calling to notify you (and for some reason you have waited for them), you might not want to rent to them…
  • If the home has been professionally deep-cleaned before showing it to them and they ask you, more than once, if the house will be cleaned before they move in, you might not want to rent to them…
  • If you increasingly suspect that they might be a hypochondriac and that they have given their past landlords headaches over supposed mold, dust, water, pet dander and other allergies, you might not want to rent to them…
  • If they send you 2-page questionnaire about the home with questions about the timeliness of code inspections, the construction materials used in the house,  the genuineness of wood used in the cabinetry, or the abundance of toxic gas in the surrounding neighborhoods, you might not want to rent to them…(yes, this really has happened)
  • If they are extremely long-winded, especially pertaining to the reasons they are breaking their current lease and want to move into your home, you might not want to rent to them…
  • If they offer to pay above-asking rent, but only if they can pay it in cash, you might not want to rent to them…
  • And, finally, if you have never met them in person or spoke to them on the phone, and they are (supposedly) moving in from out of state and wish to handle all matters of money through Money Order or PayPal, you might not want to rent to them…especially if they’re IP Address is from somewhere in Africa.

Tenant screening is extremely important and should be taken very seriously.  Waiting a little longer to find a good tenant and taking a small financial hit in the process is more often than not a better move than throwing the first person that you meet into your home just to get it occupied.

Take care of yourselves and remember, if you are tired of managing your own Orlando rental homes, we would love to do it for you!  If you have any questions or need any assistance regarding any aspect of Orlando property management please feel free to give me a call.  I’d be happy to help. Hand us the keys and your life is a breeze!