Rental Owner Updates - September 29, 2016
ADD EXTRA TOUCHES FOR MOVE-IN DAY!
(c) 2016 MrLandlord.com
All Rights Reserved


Here's the latest edition of RENTAL OWNER UPDATES 
which includes tips and resources for landlords,
real estate investors and managers who visit our site --
MrLandlord.com and who joined our free newsletter club.

We will never rent or sell your email address to others.
Rental Owner Updates is the leading email newsletter
requested by 60,000 landlords to increase their success.
We are celebrating our 31st year helping landlords!
Forward this to a friend who may like to receive landlord updates.  
NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS/TIPS - MRLANDLORD.COM
Since our last Update issue was delivered to you.
* ADD EXTRA TOUCHES FOR MOVE-IN DAY
* Screening Continues Until They Sign the Lease
* Leasing Like the Big Boys - Renewal Decision Starts on Day 1
ADD EXTRA TOUCHES TO MOVE-IN DAY!

Some landlords go the extra mile to help make the move-in day for their residents a great experience. One landlord asked on our Q&A, "What do other landlords do to keep new residents in the right (positive) mindset on move-in day, instead of them focusing on trying to find something wrong?" He was looking for any ideas, like flowers, a gift basket, a welcome letter, etc.

One landlord quickly responded: "I leave new rolls of toilet paper, paper towels, soap, a sponge, trash bag, Kleenex, a shower curtain, and a few bottles of water. Doesn't cost much, but it makes life easier for the first 24 hours. My rentals are clean. This includes new or cleaned shelf paper in the cabinets. My philosophy is that you should be able to move in, put your food in the fridge, put your dishes away, and use a bathroom without spending 3 days scrubbing it. For my 1 bedroom rentals, I started leaving command strips. Those are not cheap, but it has cut down on the nail holes I have to fill."

More landlords soon followed with other "extra touches" to help make the move-in day a positive experience. Click now to see the full discussion.

Agree or Disagree? Share your thoughts. We welcome your feedback or any landlording tip you would like to share. Email [email protected]
SCREENING CONTINUES UNTIL THEY SIGN THE LEASE  

In the same discussion referred to above, a fellow landlord shared sage advice and a warning regarding some prospective residents on move-in day: "If someone ever gets super-picky on me (on move-in day), I'll thank them for their time and the lease signing stops right there. I need residents with reasonable expectations. I don't think flowers or gift cards create that kind of mind-set. It's either already there or it isn't. Again, screening is key! Screening continues up until the minute the names are signed on the lease. Lease signing is the last thing I do after everything else is done, including the move-in inspection/walk-through." 

Screening starts by always doing a complete check on applicants through their credit, eviction history, and criminal background. But as a fellow landlord cautioned, until the lease is signed, whenever you are with the prospective resident, continue to look for potential red flags that give indication that this person may indeed NOT be one you wish to rent to, including signs of being overly-picky at the time of move-in. I've even had a soon-to-be ready resident show up at the lease signing (new resident orientation) acting as though they were drunk or on drugs. We promptly discontinued the move-in process. Afterwards, we went back through the process to make sure we had all of our background checks. Sure enough, somehow something was missed.

Click to see the recommended and inexpensive online service that I use to do all three screening background checks. In fact, you can open up a free screening account today and immediately start running eviction and criminal reports within the same hour.
LEASING LIKE THE BIG BOYS - RENEWAL DECISION STARTS ON DAY 1

This issue started with ideas on how do make the Move-In Experience as POSITIVE as possible for new residents. One of the big reasons for that is because, according to one of the top leasing trainers in the country  named Lisa Trosien, residents start deciding on whether or not they're going to renew their lease based on their move-in experience. Wow! If that is the case, move-in day is indeed a big deal not just for the resident, but this may greatly affect for your long-term success and cash flow.

Lisa Trosien shared at our last Convention many simple yet practical and excellent suggestions to improve the move-in day experience. In fact, Lisa gave an extensive 3 hour training on LEASING & MARKETING at the Convention. The training was titled: LEASING LIKE THE BIG BOYS. Because many were not able to attend but wanted access to the information shared, her entire training was recorded. Lisa receives big bucks to train the top property managers in the country. Trust me, you want to hear all the insights she has to offer. I've listened to it several times and each time, I get more and more insight into the psychology of leasing and resident retention. You can order it for only $99.95, plus you can also receive the book she co-authored (as a free bonus) titled, "The Complete Guide to Leasing Apartments". To order this resource call 1-800-950-2250 or order the training and book combo online.
Make the most of the assets that God gives you!  Remember to stay positive, professional, and in control!
 
Jeffrey Taylor
 
P.S. In our last Update, we highlighted how Facebook Can Be a Landlord's Best Friend. For pre-screening applicants, utilizing Facebook as a screening TOOL can help you with your detective work. One landlord revealed how she utilizes Facebook.
Join Our Mailing List