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Find Ideal Tenants in the Coachella Valley: Our Proven Screening Process

Never underestimate the value of a good tenant. 

In the Coachella Valley, we’re screening residents carefully because we know that ideal tenants lead to higher earnings and a lot less stress. 

Who is the ideal tenant? A resident who will respect your property and help you maintain its condition, someone you can trust to pay rent on time, and a responsible renter who can contribute to a pleasant and profitable rental experience. 

This is a competitive market. How can property owners and landlords separate the good from the not-so-good, especially with the strict tenant protections in place throughout the state?

The answer lies in a rigorous and well-thought-out tenant screening process.

We screen tenants carefully and in compliance with all fair housing and landlord/tenant laws. We’re here to help you find the ideal tenants for your Coachella Valley property. Here’s how our proven screening process makes tenant placement so much more reliable. 

Start with a Comprehensive Rental Applications 

Our process starts with an in-depth rental application, designed to collect key details about potential renters. This includes information about their rental history, employment, income, and references. We aim to gain a complete picture of the candidate before moving forward.

Every application requires a signature that gives us permission to run a credit check and a background check. Privacy laws protect applicant information and we’re very careful with the data that we gather. Before a tenant even turns in an application, we make sure to share our qualifying rental criteria so the potential applicant knows what we’re looking for and what’s required before they’re approved for a home. 

Pay attention to the law. New requirements are in place that say you must screen applications in the order that they’re received when you charge an application fee. California law caps the amount you can charge for a fee. According to the most recent data we’ve collected, the current cap is $62.02. 

Credit Checks and Tenant Screening 

Establishing a minimum credit score can be a useful part of any landlord’s qualifying rental criteria. It allows us to automatically qualify or disqualify an applicant for further screening. When it comes to adequate screening, it’s more than the credit score, however. 

By evaluating the full credit report, we can focus more on the overall patterns that can demonstrate how an applicant handles money, debt, and bills. This is more important than the one number, especially when it comes to red flags that might pop up in a credit report. 

Our technology gives us access to all of the credit information we need for prospective tenants. Not all independent landlords can access this data, however. If you’re not sure you’re gathering all of the financial information you need, reach out to property managers in Coachella Valley like us. We can provide more data that you might be able to get on your own.

Employment and Income Verification 

Understanding a potential tenant’s financial stability is crucial to knowing that the rent will be paid on time every month. We’ll ask for employment information and monthly income. That income is verified by collecting pay stubs, offer letters, bank statements, or tax forms. This helps us to confirm they can comfortably meet rent obligations. Ideally, tenants should demonstrate they have a stable job and earn at least three times the monthly rent.

Remember that in California, landlords cannot discriminate against tenants for their source of income. You can verify income and ask for proof of what they earn, but you cannot deny a tenant because of where the income comes from. That includes housing vouchers.

Rental History Review 

A reliable rental history is one of the strongest indicators of a good tenant. We will check national eviction databases to make sure an applicant’s name does not show up. We also ask for landlord references on the application. By reaching out to previous landlords, we gain insight into how applicants have treated past properties and whether they honored their rental agreements.

Equal Opportunity Housing and Fair Housing

We have talked about the importance of respecting and following all fair housing laws in California when you’re screening your tenants. At Xepco Properties, we incorporate Equal Opportunity Housing language into our marketing materials as well as our tenant screening process. This is an important way to promote fairness and diversity within California’s diverse rental markets. It helps even experienced property managers ensure compliance with the Fair Housing Act and state laws, which prevent discrimination based on a list of protected classes. 

What Makes Our Process a Proven Success

How do we know this works? In a few important ways. 

First, we have a very low eviction rate. The tenants we place pay rent on time. They don’t break their leases and they often stay in place to renew their lease agreement. Our retention rate is high and our turnover rate is low. 

We also know we’re screening well because our tenants are pleasant to work with. Conflicts are rare. They report maintenance when it’s needed. 

We credit this success to three things:

  • Expert Knowledge of the Coachella Valley 

It’s so important to understand the local rental landscape, from seasonal trends to neighborhood dynamics. This helps us price properties accurately, market rental homes effectively, and attract really good tenants who are able to meet our standards. 

  • Focus on Relationships 

We believe that good tenant-landlord relationships start with respectful and transparent selection processes. Our team is supportive, communicative, and accessible from the first moment that a potential tenant gets in touch with us.

  • State-of-the-Art Tools 

Our advanced software and tools streamline everything from background checks to lease agreements. Investing in technology helps us to automate the process, keeping things consistent and objective. 

Make Tenant Selection Stress-Free

Tenant Screening

With the proper screening process, tenant selection doesn’t have to be a hassle, and our own success is proof of that. Let’s talk about your screening challenges and how we can help. Contact our team at Xepco Properties. We’ll find the ideal tenant for your Coachella Valley rental home. 

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