Vetting Tenants — How we protect the landlord’s interests.

In Northern Virginia, Nesbitt Realty likes to deal with dependable renters. Here are some of the traits we look for.

1. A renter pays the rent on time every month. This means paying on or before the first, rather than at 5 pm on the 5th.
2. A renter has integrity. A renter does not sneak in a co-renter or pet.
3. A renter is fussy about cleanliness. A tenant does not bring pests like rodents and bugs.
4. A tenant does not damage systems.
5. A renter is courteous and pleasant to work with. A tenant knows the difference between a property manager and a hotel concierge.
6. A renter doesn't disturb neighbors.
7. A tenant reports problems when appropriate. tenants that don't report maintenance issues cost landlords money and cause issues for property managers.
8. A renter doesn't complain when it's not appropriate. This means that a tenant doesn't ask 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.
9. A tenant does not smoke in the home.
10. A renter is looking for a lease that is as long as the property owner wants to rent the rental.

So this is what we're looking for in a renter, but how do we find tenants who measure up to this standard? Experience has taught us that unreasonable renters can appear as polite, nicely-dress, well educated people with jobs. We have a knack for sniffing out unreasonable tenants.