Be Safe.  Show your rental home without risking your life! Safety first when showing your rental home should always, always be your first priority. The house is ready and the time has come to start showing it to prospective tenants.  It can be an exciting and nerve wracking time when you start showing your rental home.

 

You are a very important person and you are very vulnerable when you show a home to prospective tenants. Remember to always put safety first when you start showing your rental homes.

 

I am going to assume you have already gone through the pre-screening process and are only showing your house to people who have:

  1. An income of at least 3 times the rent.
  2. Been on their current job at least 1 year.
  3. Been in their current home at least 1 year.
  4. No evictions filed on them in the last 3 years.

 

[ctt template=”5″ link=”kf3U2″ via=”no” ]Remember to always put safety first when you start showing your rental homes[/ctt]

 

There is no reason to waste your time showing your property without some minimum guidelines in place.

 

 

Safety First 

 

Remember, you have not met these prospective tenants, you don’t know them and you should not trust them. 

 

It is your job to keep YOU safe at all times.  It is easy to learn how to show your rental home without risking your life just by taking some common sense steps.

 

 

TO ENSURE YOUR SAFETY ALWAYS:

  • Make sure someone knows where you will be.
  • Check in with that person when the showing is over.
  • Have a list of the names and numbers of the prospective tenants.
  • Make sure the power is on to the house.
  • Arrive at least 15 minutes early and turn on all the lights.
  • If you feel unsafe, make up an excuse to stay outside or in your vehicle and let them go in by themselves. I usually say I have a phone call that I must return but go on in and I will be with you shortly.

 

 

Buddy System

I always let someone know when I am going to be showing a rental property. Luckily, I have never had a problem and everyone has always been very nice. But, you just never know and it is better to be safe than sorry.

Then check with your contact when you are done showing so that they know you are OK.

 

 

Vacant Homes

Most of our homes are vacant when we show them.  It is easier to show a vacant home and you don’t have the current tenant’s stuff distracting a prospective tenant. But, it is important to have the utilities on so that the house can be well lit for the showing. It is safer for you as well.

 

 

My Procedure

As a woman, I always arrive early, unlock the main door, turn on all of the lights, tour the house, leave a rental application on the kitchen counter and then allow them to go into the home without me.  I tend to stay outside or in my vehicle, although that is not always the case but I do feel much safer that way. 

 

 

Tenant Experience

Allowing them to go in by themselves gives them the chance to look at the home privately. I want them to picture themselves living in the house and deciding where to place the furniture.  They can also talk privately among themselves and usually come up with a list of questions to ask me.

 

 

At The End

When they come out, I will answer any questions that they might have.  When they leave, I go back in, turn everything off, check that all of the windows and doors are still locked and then I leave.  Always check the windows and doors because many times they will unlock them so they can get back in late!

 

Follow Up – What Did They Think?

You will find that, in my experience at least, prospective tenants say they love the house and want to get an application. 

Then, a week or two goes by and you haven’t heard from them.

 

I always give them a day or two to process and then I touch base with them. Ask them if they have any questions or concerns.

 

Sometimes they are waiting until payday to bring the application fee, or they have just been busy with work and family or maybe they have changed their minds about the house.

 

Following up gives you some closure as well.  It may sound crazy, but I hate it when I talk to someone, really like them over the phone, then meet them and really like them in person and then NEVER hear from them again.

 

I really like honest feedback.  Did they think the rent was too high, too far from their job, was something “wrong” with the house that I didn’t consider.  That is just me and you may not care!

 

 

 

Safety – Final Thoughts

Some of you may roll your eyes after reading this and think I am being too cautious.  It is not really that hard to make a few changes so that you can show your rental home without risking your life. 

 

However, random people are robbed and or killed every single day. 

 

They were usually just minding their own business and going about their day.

 

By showing a house to someone you don’t know, you are setting yourself up to be alone and isolated so BE CAREFUL!

 

[ctt template=”11″ link=”wU674″ via=”no” ]Remember, you have not met these prospective tenants, you don’t know them and you should not trust them. [/ctt]