
What Landlords Look for in a Tenant

By Ree Winter
Apr 26, 2023
The process of renting an apartment can be a nightmare. What’s going to make you stand out when there are so many applicants to choose from? Is your landlord going to raise the rent at every opportunity or kick you out at short notice? When repairs or issues arise, how promptly will your property management company respond — if at all? There are so many things to consider when it comes to navigating the rental market landscape.
A potential landlord has their own set of concerns. Is the tenant going to pay rent on time? Are they going to cause a lot of trouble, or are things going to be damaged? Many of these questions can’t be answered with a simple background check or credit report.
When I was in my 20s, I rented for many years, but I always had a dream of owning my own place. A few years ago, I finally had the opportunity to buy a condo located just outside one of my favorite cities: New Orleans. It was being rented by a good tenant who had been selected by the previous landlords when I purchased it — a retiree who always paid the monthly rent on time and had very few issues. She moved out after 18 months, and while I would miss her, it gave me the opportunity to renovate and refurnish the place. I spent time researching the rental market and what people looked for. When it was finally done, I took some photos and placed them on VRBO and AirBnB. It was exciting!
However, I quickly learned that it wasn’t that simple and that not every renter would be a perfect fit for my place. That’s when I started devising a list of what to look for in a tenant. I found plenty of standard checklists online, but I think there’s more to it than that. A standard tenant screening includes a good credit history, a clear criminal background check, and rental history. As a landlord, it’s up to you to find out if the tenant has had any prior evictions, and to verify their employment history and pay stubs as well. During my process, I also look for renters who are respectful and good communicators.
While these things make a great starting point, some landlords look outside of the rental application and develop even more strategies for the screening process. For example, Ed Shedlock, a real estate professional and rental property owner, really values punctuality when screening tenants — and takes note of prospective tenants who arrive to showings late without warning.
Sometimes, it’s not always possible to meet the tenant face-to-face before agreeing to rent to them. My condo is a mid-term rental that’s leased out on a month-to-month basis. My tenants are usually people from out of town who find the property on online platforms. I’ve taken precautions now to remove features from my listing like “instant book” so that I can have a conversation with the potential tenant and see their reviews before I agree to let them stay. I rely on things like how professional and courteous they sound in their messages, and why they’re in town — whether for work or family. This tells gives me an indication of what type of tenant I can expect and whether they’ll take care of my property and pay the rent on time.
My current tenant found my property on the platform Furnished Finder — a site for professionals like traveling nurses who are looking for furnished accommodation for several months at a time. Even though she had no reviews on the site, my mind was set at ease by her profession and the polite way she handled messages. So far, I’ve had no regrets about my decision, and she has taught me what feeling to look out for when selecting a tenant.
Top metro areas
Albuquerque Metro Apartments
439 apartments starting at $495/month
Atlanta Metro Apartments
3,009 apartments starting at $427/month
Austin Metro Apartments
2,303 apartments starting at $500/month
Bakersfield Metro Apartments
352 apartments starting at $595/month
Baltimore Metro Apartments
838 apartments starting at $500/month
Birmingham Metro Apartments
510 apartments starting at $400/month
Boston Metro Apartments
2,993 apartments starting at $650/month
Charlotte Metro Apartments
1,352 apartments starting at $531/month
Chicago Metro Apartments
4,004 apartments starting at $499/month
Cincinnati Metro Apartments
706 apartments starting at $525/month
Cleveland Metro Apartments
841 apartments starting at $400/month
Colorado Springs Metro Apartments
687 apartments starting at $500/month
Columbus Metro Apartments
1,277 apartments starting at $545/month
Dallas Fort Worth Metro Apartments
8,825 apartments starting at $400/month
Denver Metro Apartments
1,786 apartments starting at $550/month
Detroit Metro Apartments
1,471 apartments starting at $500/month
El Paso Metro Apartments
260 apartments starting at $525/month
Fresno Metro Apartments
290 apartments starting at $800/month
Hartford Metro Apartments
256 apartments starting at $500/month
Honolulu Metro Apartments
661 apartments starting at $600/month
Houston Metro Apartments
1,180 apartments starting at $500/month
Indianapolis Metro Apartments
996 apartments starting at $480/month
Jacksonville Metro Apartments
1,493 apartments starting at $600/month
Kansas City Metro Apartments
1,180 apartments starting at $412/month
Las Vegas Metro Apartments
3,284 apartments starting at $650/month
Los Angeles Metro Apartments
6,500 apartments starting at $400/month
Louisville Metro Apartments
400 apartments starting at $525/month
Memphis Metro Apartments
1,063 apartments starting at $450/month
Miami Metro Apartments
4,476 apartments starting at $950/month
Milwaukee Metro Apartments
677 apartments starting at $485/month
Minneapolis Metro Apartments
1,610 apartments starting at $415/month
Nashville Metro Apartments
586 apartments starting at $845/month
New Orleans Metro Apartments
891 apartments starting at $406/month
New York City Metro Apartments
2,861 apartments starting at $500/month
Oklahoma City Metro Apartments
1,391 apartments starting at $500/month
Omaha Metro Apartments
470 apartments starting at $525/month
Orlando Metro Apartments
1,284 apartments starting at $550/month
Philadelphia Metro Apartments
1,817 apartments starting at $500/month
Phoenix Metro Apartments
1,841 apartments starting at $650/month
Pittsburgh Metro Apartments
1,032 apartments starting at $400/month
Portland Metro Apartments
2,073 apartments starting at $415/month
Raleigh Metro Apartments
1,254 apartments starting at $600/month
Richmond Metro Apartments
747 apartments starting at $625/month
Riverside Metro Apartments
741 apartments starting at $595/month
Sacramento Metro Apartments
974 apartments starting at $525/month
Salt Lake City Metro Apartments
782 apartments starting at $600/month
San Antonio Metro Apartments
1,632 apartments starting at $400/month
San Diego Metro Apartments
1,836 apartments starting at $590/month
San Francisco Metro Apartments
2,026 apartments starting at $575/month
San Jose Metro Apartments
769 apartments starting at $1,250/month
Seattle Metro Apartments
2,060 apartments starting at $525/month
St. Louis Metro Apartments
1,120 apartments starting at $500/month
Tampa Metro Apartments
1,101 apartments starting at $795/month
Tucson Metro Apartments
700 apartments starting at $475/month
Tulsa Metro Apartments
490 apartments starting at $475/month
Virginia Beach Metro Apartments
884 apartments starting at $775/month
Washington Metro Apartments
894 apartments starting at $685/month
Wichita Metro Apartments
390 apartments starting at $425/month