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

In Arlington, our team wants to work with good tenants. Here are some of the traits we seek out.

1. A great tenant pays the rent on time every time. This means paying on or before the first, rather than at 5 pm on the 5th.
2. A reliable renter has integrity. A good tenant does not sneak in a co-renter or pet.
3. An ideal tenant is reasonably clean. A great renter does not attract pests like rodents and bugs.
4. A good renter does not overwork the property.
5. A reliable renter is courteous and pleasant to get along with. A great tenant understands the difference between a property manager and a hotel concierge.
6. A reliable tenant doesn't bother neighbors.
7. An ideal tenant reports problems at appropriate times. Renters that don't report maintenance issues cost real estate investors money and cause problems for property managers.
8. A desirable renter doesn't complain when it's not appropriate. This means that an ideal tenant doesn't ask to upgrade functioning systems. A great tenant doesn't expect more than the lease provides. A trustworthy renter doesn't complain that an appliance doesn't work when the tenant doesn't know how to operate the appliance.
9. An ideal tenant does not smoke in the rental.
10. A trustworthy renter is looking for a lease that is as long as the real estate investor wants to rent the rental.

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 troublesome tenants can appear as polite, nicely-dress, well educated people with great jobs. We have a nose for sniffing out unreasonable renters.