What we look for in Northern Virginia tenants
In Northern Virginia, Nesbitt Realty likes to work with reliable renters. Here are some of the traits we expect.
- A renter 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 tenant does not sneak in a co-renter or pet.
- A renter is fussy about cleanliness. A renter does not bring pests like rodents and bugs.
- A renter does not overwork the property or its systems.
- A renter is courteous and pleasant to get along with. A tenant understands the difference between a property manager and a hotel concierge.
- A renter doesn't bother neighbors.
- A tenant complains at appropriate times. Renters that don't report maintenance issues cost real estate investors money and cause head-aches for property managers.
- A renter doesn't gripe when it's not appropriate. This means that a tenant doesn't demand to replace functioning systems. A renter doesn't expect more than the lease provides. A renter doesn't complain that an appliance doesn't work when the renter doesn't know how to operate the appliance.
- A tenant does not smoke in the rental.
- A 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 measure up to this standard? Experience has taught us that difficult renters can appear as polite, nicely-dress, well educated people with jobs. We have a knack for sniffing out bad tenants.
Our Five Step Process
Fair Housing Laws and our conscience dictates that we do not judge applicants in Northern Virginia based upon appearance. Experience has taught us that appearances can be very decieving. We do however judge potential renters based upon their history and their actions. If a applicant is difficult with our managers from the beginning, they will probably be rude as tenants. If a is caught fabricating facts, we can expect them to be unreliable as a tenant. If a has troubles finding 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 action initially is good we still check the background of every potential tenant with a full 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 Rental Management Resources
-
Basics
Fundamental information about what management services in Northern Virginia.
-
Getting Started
Learn more about getting started with property management
-
Find A Tenant
List your property to rent to find a great renter in Northern Virginia fast.
-
Accounting
How does Nesbitt Realty keep track of income and expenses for real estate investors?
-
Cost
A breakdown of fees associated with property management services in Northern Virginia
-
Vetting
How Nesbitt Realty checks the backgrounds of renters for landlords.
-
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 source for property owners in Northern Virginia
- Before you put a renter in your property in Northern Virginia
- Collections and evictions
- Communications with the tenant
- During the lease term
- End of tenancy and what happens when a tenant breaks the lease
- How does the property owner get paid?
- How your management company handles the association and your community
- How your rental manager handles utilities
- How we find tenants
- Insurance matters for property owners using our property 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 property
- When landlords don't yet know their new address
- Vetting renters in Northern Virginia
More Information About Northern Virginia
Our recommendation
After the background check is reviewed 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 want know more about this area?
Our Guide to Real Estate is a helpful resource for everyone who needs to find out more about Northern Virginia and neighboring areas. The Guide to Real Estate compiles information regarding what has sold and what is on the market, as well as many compelling facts that you may not know. Furthermore, our Guide has many of the benefits of life in Northern Virginia. Of course, most of this is helpful for purchasers and sellers, but rental investors and tenants might also find these tools to be somewhat 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