What we look for in Northern Virginia tenants
In Northern Virginia, our team wants to work with dependable renters. Here are a few of the traits we look for.
- A tenant pays the rent when due every time. This means paying on or before the first, rather than at 5 pm on the 5th.
- A renter is trustworthy. A tenant does not sneak in a co-renter or pet.
- A renter is fastidious. A renter does not bring pests such as rodents and bugs.
- A tenant does not destroy the property.
- A tenant is courteous and nice to work with. A renter knows the difference between a property manager and a hotel concierge.
- A tenant doesn't bother neighbors.
- A renter reports problems when appropriate. Renters that don't report maintenance issues cost real estate investors money and cause problems for property managers.
- A renter doesn't gripe when it's not appropriate. This means that a renter doesn't ask to replace functioning systems. A renter doesn't expect more than the lease provides. A renter doesn't complain that an appliance doesn't work when the renter doesn't know how to operate the appliance.
- A tenant does not smoke in the rental.
- A renter is looking for a lease that is as long as the owner wants to rent the property.
So this is what we're looking for in a tenant, but how do we find renters who live up to this standard? Experience has taught us that tardy tenants can appear as polite, nicely-dress, well educated people with jobs. We have a nose for sniffing out tardy renters.
Our Five Step Process
Fair Housing Laws and our conscience dictates that we do not judge potential tenants in Northern Virginia based upon appearance. Experience has taught us that appearances can be very decieving. We do however judge applicants based upon their track record and their actions. If a applicant is difficult with us from the beginning, they will probably be trying as renters. If a is caught fabricating facts, we can expect them to be unreliable as a renter. If a has troubles scrounging up fundsfor background fees and the first month of rent, we will expect that same potential tenant will have troubles while they are in the rental.
But even if every action initially is good we still check the background of each potential renter with a full background check. Every person and occupant must provide a government-issue photo identification. From there, as property managers we start our vetting process.
How we protect the landlord’s interests in Northern Virginia:
Northern Virginia Property Management Resources
Basics
Basic information regarding property management in Northern Virginia.
Getting Started
Learn more about getting started with property management
Find A Tenant
Market your property to rent to find a reliable renter in Northern Virginia fast.
Accounting
How does Nesbitt Realty keep track of income and expenses for real estate investors?
Cost
A breakdown of fees associated with rental management in Northern Virginia
Vetting
How Nesbitt Realty checks the backgrounds of renters for property owners.
Reserves
What is a contingency reserve account?
Territory
Where does Nesbitt Realty manage property?
Clients
Who uses Nesbitt Realty management services?
Landlord Reference
a good reference for property owners in Northern Virginia
- Before you lease out your rental property in Northern Virginia
- Collections and evictions
- Communications with the renter
- During the lease term
- End of lease term and what happens when a tenant breaks the lease
- How does the property owner get paid?
- How your property management company handles the association and your community
- How your management company handles utilities
- How Nesbitt Realty & Management finds renters
- Insurance matters for owners using our rental management
- How Nesbitt Realty & Management manage keys
- Northern Virginia owner responsibilities
- Maintenance, repairs & inspections for your rental investment in Northern Virginia
- The move-in inspection
- Property management information form
- Selling a 1031 tax exchange & more
- Starting our management of your rental investment
- When property owners don't yet know their new address
- Vetting tenants in Northern Virginia
More Information About Northern Virginia
Our recommendation
After the background check is finished we make a recommendation to the landlord based upon our experience as rental managers in Northern Virginia and the information which we have verified. Ultimately the property owner decides if the risk is worth taking, but they make that decision based upon facts and our expert advice.
Do you want understand more about the local real estate market?
Our Guide to Real Estate is a handy resource for anyone who hopes to learn more about Northern Virginia and neighboring communities. The Guide to Real Estate has facts regarding what has sold and what is on the market, and some interesting facts that you might not know. Also, our Guide has quite a few of the benefits of residing in Northern Virginia. As a matter of course, most of this is helpful for purchasers and sellers, but real estate investors and renters will also find this information to be somewhat edifying.
Our Broker Will Nesbitt
"I am by nature a trusting person, but this business has taught me to verify every statement that a tenant makes. Scammers and bad tenants can sometimes give every appearance of being trustworthy and upright people. We never cut corners on background checks." ~ Will Nesbitt
Julie Nesbitt
I like tenants that pay on time. Late paying tenants cause extra work and unnecessary stress for landlords and property managers. ~ Julie Nesbitt