I have been getting a lot of calls for rentals lately. Schools starts on August 23 and families want to get their kids registered at the school of their choice as soon as possible. Sometimes applicants have less than good credit so it is very stressful on them knowing that they may not meet the criteria for getting the house they want. In this post Michelle Gibson shares a great idea for "thinking outside the box" and creating a better chance for renters to qualify for a rental.
Thinking outside the box
Writing a personal letter to a prospective landlord isn't common in my area, but it's something I have every one of my prospective tenants do.
Why? A personal letter is just that, personal, an introduction to who they are.
How many landlords base their decision solely on credit reports and deposits? I can tell you a lot.
So how is a person with horrible credit and/or little money suppose to find a home? Over the years I've placed countless clients into a rental home due in part to the personal letter they wrote.
A letter that introduced them, a letter that explained why their credit wasn't perfect, a letter explaining why they short saled their home or claimed bankruptcy.
I have found landlords will look past the numbers on the paper and focus more on the person, IF the person takes the time to introduce themselves.
If you are working with a prospective tenant regardless of how they appear on paper I highly recommend including a personal letter with their offer, it can go along way.Michelle Gibson REALTOR®
Hansen Real Estate Group Inc.
561.333.0446
Hablamos español.
As an SRES® designee, I have received additional education on such topics as tax laws, probate, estate planning, equity conversion strategies, and can offer you information on current market trends as well as valuable resources regarding real estate transactions.
YOu are right, we are all working on rentals now instead of sales, it is a new world and we have to really start thinking outside of our usual box!!! I am constantly developing new ways of marketing to handle rentals which is the market right now!!!
This sounds like one of those really great ideas that a lot of us need to incorporate into out tool bag. Thanks for the great suggestion.
This was a great post by Michelle - and a great reblog ! I am going to use the idea myself ;o)
Cheers Shirley !
Hi Shirley... I like this idea! I am going to share it with me office tomorrow!
Hi Shirley, Thanks for reblogging this one, what a great idea! I can see how a personal letter would go a long way to introduce a tenant and explain certain things on a credit report. People are so much more than their credit score.
Shirley - Writing a letter to the landlord is a great idea. With the tough economic times we have had the last few years, a well written letter can put a face to personal tragedy, and sometimes make a difference in helping someone obtain a fresh start.
This is a great reblog. As you know I did so myself because it was a great tip for renters that just ran into some back luck with their credit situation.
Thanks for reposting this! Very good idea for people that need to find places to rent.
Sincerely,
Kathleen