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

What we look for in Fairfax tenants

In Fairfax, Nesbitt Realty likes to work with dependable tenants. Here are a few of the traits we seek out.

  1. A tenant pays the rent when due every month. This means paying on or before the first, rather than at 5 pm on the 5th.
  2. A tenant is honest. A tenant does not sneak in a co-renter or pet.
  3. A renter is fastidious. A tenant does not bring pests such as rodents and bugs.
  4. A renter does not overwork systems.
  5. A tenant is courteous and nice to get along with. A renter understands the difference between a property manager and a hotel concierge.
  6. A renter doesn't disturb neighbors.
  7. A tenant complains when appropriate. Renters that don't report maintenance issues cost real estate investors money and cause head-aches for property managers.
  8. A tenant doesn't complain when it's not appropriate. This means that a renter doesn't demand 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 renter doesn't know how to operate the appliance.
  9. A renter does not smoke in the property.
  10. A renter is looking for a lease 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 ideal? Experience has taught us that troublesome tenants can appear as polite, nicely-dress, well educated people with jobs. We have a knack for sniffing out difficult tenants.

 

Our Five Step Process

Fair Housing Laws and our conscience dictates that we do not judge applicants in Fairfax based upon appearance.  Experience has taught us that appearances can be very decieving. We do however judge potential tenants based upon their history and their actions. If a applicant is rude to our staff from the beginning, they will probably be troublesome as tenants. If a is caught fabricating facts, we can expect them to be untrustworthy as a renter.  If a has troubles finding certified fundsfor background fees and the first month of rent, we can expect that same applicant will have difficulty during the lease.

But even if every action initially is promising we still vet each person with a complete background check. Every potential renter 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 Fairfax: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

Fairfax Rental Management Resources

Basics

Elementary info regarding management services in Fairfax.

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Getting Started

Learn more about getting started with rental property management

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Find A Tenant

List your property to rent to find a reliable renter in Fairfax fast.

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Accounting

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

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Cost

A breakdown of prices of rental management in Fairfax

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Vetting

How Nesbitt Realty checks the backgrounds of renters for landlords.

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Reserves

What is a contingency reserve account?

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Territory

Where does Nesbitt Realty manage rental 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 reviewed we make a recommendation to the real estate investor based upon our experience as property managers in Fairfax 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.

Should you know more about this community?

Nesbitt Realty's Guide to Real Estate is a helpful tool for anyone who hopes to review important real estate information about Fairfax and nearby communities.  The Guide to Real Estate compiles information about what has sold and what is for sale, as well as a couple of surprising facts that you may not be aware of.  Furthermore, our Guide highlights quite a few of the fundamentals of residing in Fairfax.  As might be expected, most of this is useful for buyers and sellers, but property owners and tenants will probably also find these tools to be very eye-opening.

Our Broker Will Nesbitt

Will Nesbitt
Our principal broker Will Nesbitt is standing by to take your call.

"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 and Will
Julie and Will Nesbitt pause from property management to take a quick picture.

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