New landlords: Avoid these five tenant types

One thing I learned from being a property manager is that landlording is not for nice guys. That's not to say that I didn't like most of my tenants or try to be nice to them; I did.

But I also learned, at my boss's urging, that sometimes you have to say "no." No to unnecessary repairs or upgrades, no to extraordinary lease provisions and even, sometimes, no to prospective tenants who had applied to rent with us.

My latest article is targeted at landlords, particularly new ones. It's "Five Tenant Types Unfit for Your Investment Property."

Some rental applicants just are too risky to rent to or are too likely to bring headaches with them to your property. Learn who they are by clicking on the article title above.


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One for the parents: To co-sign or not to co-sign, that is the question!

Has your child asked you to co-sign an apartment lease for him or her?

It's not uncommon for a landlord to require a co-signer for young tenants who don't have much of a rental history. And usually parents are the most apt to sign on. But before you co-sign the lease, make sure to read "Should I Co-Sign an Apartment Lease for My Child?"

The article lets you know what your obligations will be as an apartment lease co-signer and what pitfalls you'll have to avoid.

Impress the landlord if you want to be approved for the apartment of your dreams

Lots of experienced apartment hunters have, at one time or another, applied for the apartment of their dreams only to find out they were too late -- the apartment was already rented to someone else.

There are a few strategies you can employ to avoid this happening to you, even in a competitive apartment market with low vacancy rates. One strategy is to impress the landlord or leasing agent. But how?

The trick is in appearing as the ideal tenant. But you need to do this in very real, concrete ways. Landlords are bound by ethical guidelines that don't allow them to rent an apartment to one tenant over another simply because one tenant is more likeable. So, really, you need to actually BE an ideal tenant, not just act like one.

For a leg up on the competition, read "Competitive Apartment Hunting: How to Impress the Landlord." It includes credit, application and apartment viewing tips designed to make you stand apart from other apartment hunters.

Happy hunting and good luck out there!




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Denied an apartment due to poor credit?

If you've recently applied to rent an apartment but were turned down due to blemishes on your credit report, here are some tips on what you should fix first: Denied an Apartment Due to Poor Credit? Best Credit Fixes for Renters.

Some fixes can get you back on track so you'll qualify for an apartment in as little as 30 to 60 days. Priority No. 1? Check your credit report for errors. Some creditors are lightning-quick to report late payments or unpaid bills to the credit reporting agencies but notoriously slow -- or even negligent -- about reporting that the debts finally did, in fact, get paid. Get those old, erroneous debts off your credit report and you'll have much better success getting approved for an apartment.

For more tips and info, read the article here.




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No pay stubs to prove income on your rental application?

It's pretty standard for apartment managers and landlords to require proof of income before they'll rent an apartment to you. Generally, they'll ask to see several of your most recent pay stubs.

But what if you don't work a traditional job?

Fortunately, there are other acceptable ways to prove your income and qualify to rent an apartment. Read about them here.