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

What we seek in Rappahannock County renters

In Rappahannock County, our team wants to deal with good renters. Here are a few of the traits we look for.

  1. A good renter 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 desirable renter has integrity. A trustworthy renter does not sneak in a co-tenant or pet.
  3. A trustworthy renter is reasonably clean. A reliable renter does not bring pests like rodents and bugs.
  4. A good tenant does not break the property.
  5. A desirable tenant is courteous and nice to get along with. A trustworthy tenant understands the difference between a property manager and a hotel concierge.
  6. A trustworthy tenant doesn't disturb neighbors.
  7. A great renter complains when appropriate. Renters that don't report maintenance issues cost property owners money and cause head-aches for property managers.
  8. An ideal tenant doesn't gripe when it's not appropriate. This means that a trustworthy renter doesn't ask to upgrade functioning systems. A great renter doesn't expect more than the lease provides. A great renter doesn't complain that an appliance doesn't work when the tenant doesn't know how to operate the appliance.
  9. A great renter does not smoke in the home.
  10. A desirable tenant is looking for a rental term that is as long as the real estate investor wants to rent the property.

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

 

Our Five Step Process

Fair Housing Laws and our conscience dictates that we do not judge applicants in Rappahannock County based upon appearance.  Experience has taught us that appearances can be very decieving. We do however assess potential tenants based upon their track record and their actions. If a applicant is difficult with our staff at the beginning, they will probably be trying as tenants. If a n applicant makes false statements, we can expect them to be untrustworthy as a tenant.  If a n applicant has difficulty scrounging up money for background fees and the first month of rent, we will expect that same potential renter will have troubles during the lease.

But even if every statement initially is good we still vet every potential renter with a full background check. Every applicant and occupant must submit a government-issue photo identification. From there, as rental we start our vetting process.

How we protect the landlord’s interests in Rappahannock County: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

Rappahannock County Property Management Resources

Basics

Fundamental info regarding rental managment in Rappahannock County.

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Getting Started

Learn more about getting started with property management

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Find A Tenant

Market your property to rent to find a dependable tenant in Rappahannock County fast.

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Accounting

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

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Cost

An overview of fees associated with rental management services in Rappahannock County

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Vetting

How Nesbitt Realty checks the backgrounds of renters for property owners.

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Reserves

What is a contingency reserve account?

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Territory

Where does Nesbitt Realty manage 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 rental specialist now.

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Our recommendation

After the background check is complete we make a recommendation to the owner based upon our experience as property managers in Rappahannock County and the information which 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.

Do you need know more about this local real estate market?

Our Guide to Real Estate is a free resource for anyone who wants to find out more about Rappahannock County and surrounding communities.  The Guide to Real Estate compiles data regarding what has sold and what is on the market, as well as many shocking facts that you might not know.  In addition, our Guide features some benefits of life in Rappahannock County.  Of course, all of this is useful for purchasers and sellers, but rental investors and tenants will probably also find this information to be quite sobering.

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