Los Angeles Property Management and Prospective Renters

Every successful real estate investor providing Los Angeles residential property management understands how important it is to thoroughly prescreen each and every applicant they come across. If you are new to the scene and only have one or two homes for rent in Los Angeles, you may not quite understand why it's important to prescreen those interested in your rentals.

The prescreening process does take a while and can cost a little money, but it is well worth it and you should have your Los Angeles residential property management team doing it. Why? There are a lot of great actors/actresses out there, especially in L.A., who are able to breeze right through an interview because of their ability to speak well, and with conviction. However, while these people may be able to convince a Los Angeles property manager what a great person and/or tenant they are, the facts found in a background check don't lie.

Think of prescreening applicants as another form of property insurance. When you take the time to pull an applicant's credit history, criminal record, verify employment records and consult with past landlords, you will be able to determine if the applicant appears to be everything he/she claimed in the initial interview. Your Los Angeles residential property management professionals will also be able to better protect you from experiencing any monetary loss when applicants are prescreened and denied based on what has been found during this process.

So, what all is actually involved during this part of the application process? What exactly is the type of information that you are able to ask for from prospective tenants without having to worry about legal ramifications? Listed below are the informational questions you, and your Los Angeles property management professionals, may ask prospects to provide you on an application. However, make sure that you ask for the same information from all applicants and not just a few. Otherwise, you may face a discrimination claim.

• Identification (Driver's License and Social Security Number)
• Credit History
• Employment History
• Rental History (make sure to ask about past evictions)
• Income (including bankruptcies)
• References