What we look for in Northern Virginia renters
In Northern Virginia, Nesbitt Realty prefers to work with dependable renters. Here are a few of the traits we look for.
- A tenant pays the rent when due every time. This means paying on or before the first, rather than at 5 pm on the 5th.
- A tenant is honest. A renter does not sneak in a co-tenant or pet.
- A tenant is neat. A tenant does not bring pests such as rodents and bugs.
- A renter does not overwork the home.
- A renter is courteous and nice to work with. A renter understands the difference between a property manager and a hotel concierge.
- A tenant doesn't disturb neighbors.
- A renter reports problems when appropriate. tenants that don't report maintenance issues cost landlords money and cause head-aches for property managers.
- A tenant doesn't complain when it's not appropriate. This means that a tenant doesn't ask to replace functioning systems. A renter doesn't expect more than the lease provides. A tenant doesn't complain that an appliance doesn't work when the tenant doesn't know how to operate the appliance.
- A renter does not smoke in the home.
- A renter is looking for a rental term that is as long as the owner wants to rent the rental.
So this is what we're looking for in a tenant, but how do we find tenants who live up to this standard? Experience has taught us that bad tenants can appear as polite, nicely-dress, well educated people with jobs. We have a nose for sniffing out tardy renters.
Our Five Step Process
Fair Housing Laws and our conscience dictates that we do not judge potential renters in Northern Virginia based upon appearance. Experience has taught us that appearances can be very decieving. We do however judge potential tenants based upon their reputation and their actions. If a applicant is difficult with our managers at the outset, they will probably be difficult as tenants. If a is caught fabricating facts, we can expect them to be unreliable as a tenant. If a has difficulty scrounging up certified fundsfor background fees and the first month of rent, we can expect that same person will have difficulty during the lease.
But even when every appearance initially is promising we still check the background of each potential tenant with a complete background check. Every potential tenant 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 Northern Virginia:
Northern Virginia Property Management Resources
Basics
Basic info regarding management services in Northern Virginia.
Getting Started
Learn more about getting started with rental property management
Find A Tenant
Market your property to rent to find a great tenant in Northern Virginia fast.
Accounting
How does Nesbitt Realty keep track of income and expenses for landlords?
Cost
A breakdown of fees associated with rental management in Northern Virginia
Vetting
How Nesbitt Realty vets renters for property owners.
Reserves
What is a contingency reserve account?
Territory
Where does Nesbitt Realty manage rental investments?
Clients
Who uses Nesbitt Realty management services?
Landlord Reference
a free archive for property owners in Northern Virginia
- Before you lease out your investment in Northern Virginia
- Collections and evictions
- Communications with the renter
- During the lease term
- End of tenancy and what happens when a tenant breaks the lease
- How does the owner get paid?
- How your property manager handles the association and your community
- How your management company handles utilities
- How we find tenants
- Insurance matters for property owners using our rental management
- How Nesbitt Management handles keys
- Northern Virginia landlord responsibilities
- Maintenance, repairs & inspections for your rental investment in Northern Virginia
- The move-in inspection
- Property management information form
- Selling a 1031 tax exchange & more
- Starting our management of your rental investment
- When property owners don't yet know their new address
- Vetting renters in Northern Virginia
More Information About Northern Virginia
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 Northern Virginia and the information which we have verified. Ultimately the owner 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 the local real estate market?
Nesbitt Realty's Guide to Real Estate is a helpful resource for anyone who wants to investigate real estate facts about Northern Virginia and nearby communities. The Guide to Real Estate has facts about what has sold and what is on the market, and many interesting facts that you may not know. Also, our Guide has some fundamentals of living in Northern Virginia. Naturally, all of this is useful for buyers and sellers, but owners and renters should also find this data to be very enlightening.
Our Broker 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

I like tenants that pay on time. Late paying tenants cause extra work and unnecessary stress for landlords and property managers. ~ Julie Nesbitt