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

What we look for in Lorton Valley renters

In Lorton Valley, Nesbitt Realty likes to deal with reliable renters. Here are some of the traits we look for.

  1. 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.
  2. A tenant has integrity. A renter does not sneak in a co-renter or pet.
  3. A tenant is fastidious. A renter does not bring pests like rodents and bugs.
  4. A tenant does not overwork the property or its systems.
  5. A tenant is courteous and nice to work with. A renter understands the difference between a property manager and a hotel concierge.
  6. A renter doesn't annoy neighbors.
  7. A tenant reports problems when appropriate. Renters that don't report maintenance issues cost property owners money and cause head-aches for property managers.
  8. A tenant doesn't gripe when it's not appropriate. This means that a tenant doesn't demand to replace functioning systems. A tenant 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.
  9. A renter does not smoke in the home.
  10. A tenant 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 tenants who measure up to this standard? Experience has taught us that tardy renters can appear as polite, nicely-dress, well educated people with jobs. We have a knack for sniffing out tardy renters.

 

Our Five Step Process

Fair Housing Laws and our conscience dictates that we do not judge potential renters in Lorton Valley based upon appearance.  Experience has taught us that appearances can be very decieving. We do however assess applicants based upon their track record and their actions. If a applicant is rude to our staff from the beginning, they will probably be rude as tenants. If a lies, we will expect them to be dishonest as a tenant.  If a has troubles finding money for background fees and the first month of rent, we can expect that same potential renter will have difficulty while they are in the rental.

But even when every statement 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 Lorton Valley:Nesbitt Realty is committed to Fair Housing

  1. We Check The Applicant’s Credit History
  2. We Investigate The Applicant’s Criminal History
  3. We Investigate The Applicant’s Rental History
  4. We Look For Internal Consistency In The Rental Application
  5. We Want To Know If The Applicant Can Afford The Rent

Lorton Valley Rental Management Resources

Basics

Fundamental information regarding property management in Lorton Valley.

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Getting Started

Learn more about getting started with rental property management

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Find A Tenant

List your property to rent to find a reliable renter in Lorton Valley fast.

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Accounting

How does Nesbitt Realty keep track of income and expenses for landlords?

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Cost

An overview of fees associated with rental management in Lorton Valley

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Vetting

How Nesbitt Realty vets tenants for our clients.

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Reserves

What is a contingency reserve account?

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Territory

Where does Nesbitt Realty manage rental property?

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Clients

Who uses Nesbitt Realty management services?

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Contact

Call (703)765-0300 to speak to a property manager now.

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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 Lorton Valley and the information that we have verified. Ultimately the real estate investor decides if the risk is worth taking, but they make that decision based upon facts and our expert advice.

Should you understand more about this local real estate market?

Our Guide to Real Estate is a free resource for everyone who needs to review important real estate information about Lorton Valley and surrounding communities.  The Guide to Real Estate provides facts about what has sold and what is for sale, and some shocking facts that you might not be aware of.  And, our Guide highlights some benefits of residing in Lorton Valley.  Definitely, all of this is useful for purchasers and sellers, but property owners and tenants will also find this information to be very informative.

Our Broker Will Nesbitt

Will Nesbitt
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

Julie 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