What we look for in Northern Virginia tenants
In Northern Virginia, our team likes to deal with good renters. Here are some of the traits we seek out.
- A tenant pays the rent on time every month. This means paying on or before the first, rather than at 5 pm on the 5th.
- A tenant has integrity. A tenant does not sneak in a co-renter or pet.
- A tenant is fastidious. A renter does not bring pests such as rodents and bugs.
- A renter does not damage the property or its systems.
- A renter is courteous and pleasant to work with. A renter knows the difference between a property manager and a hotel concierge.
- A tenant doesn't annoy neighbors.
- A renter reports problems at appropriate times. Renters that don't report maintenance issues cost property owners money and cause head-aches for property managers.
- A tenant doesn't complain when it's not appropriate. This means that a tenant doesn't demand to replace functioning systems. A renter doesn't expect more than the lease provides. A tenant 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 property.
- A renter is looking for a lease that is as long as the real estate investor wants to rent the home.
So this is what we're looking for in a renter, but how do we find tenants who live up to this ideal? Experience has taught us that troublesome tenants can appear as polite, nicely-dress, well educated people with jobs. We have a nose for sniffing out troublesome tenants.
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 potential tenants based upon their history and their actions. If a applicant is difficult with our staff from the start, they will probably be trying as renters. If a is caught fabricating facts, we will expect them to be dishonest as a tenant. If a has difficulty producing certified fundsfor background fees and the first month of rent, we will expect that same potential renter will have problems during the lease.
But even when every appearance initially is good we still vet each person with a full background check. Every potential tenant and occupant must provide a government-issue photo identification. From there, as rental we start our vetting process.
How we protect the landlord’s interests in Northern Virginia:
Northern Virginia Rental Management Resources
Basics
Elementary info about what management services in Northern Virginia.
Getting Started
Learn more about getting started with property management
Find A Tenant
List your property to rent to find a dependable renter in Northern Virginia fast.
Accounting
How does Nesbitt Realty keep track of income and expenses for landlords?
Cost
A list of fees associated with rental management in Northern Virginia
Vetting
How Nesbitt Realty checks the backgrounds of tenants for our clients.
Reserves
What is a contingency reserve account?
Territory
Where does Nesbitt Realty manage rentals?
Clients
Who uses Nesbitt Realty management services?
Landlord Reference
a free archive for property owners in Northern Virginia
- Before you move a tenant into your rental 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 rental manager handles the association and your community
- How your property manager handles utilities
- How Nesbitt finds renters
- Insurance matters for landlords using our property management
- How Nesbitt Realty & Management manage keys
- Northern Virginia rental investor responsibilities
- Maintenance, repairs & inspections for your property in Northern Virginia
- The move-in inspection
- Property management information form
- Selling a 1031 tax exchange & more
- Starting our management of your rental
- When landlords 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 real estate investor based upon our experience as property 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.
Should you understand more about the local real estate market?
Nesbitt Realty's Guide to Real Estate is a helpful tool for anyone who wants to learn more about Northern Virginia and neighboring areas. The Guide to Real Estate compiles facts about what has sold and what is for sale, as well as some surprising facts that you might not know. Also, our Guide highlights many of the assets of life in Northern Virginia. Definitely, most of this is helpful for purchasers and sellers, but real estate investors and tenants might also find this data to be very informative.
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