Pros of renting to tenants with pets

In a competitive rental market, some real estate professionals might suggest you offer incentives such as free wifi, first months rent free, or a store gift card to qualified tenants just for signing a lease. Others say the solution could simpler: just allow pets.

While pets can be taboo for landlords because of the possibility they could damage your rental, they can also bring about some positive benefits to a property owner.

Let’s look at some of the Pros to allowing tenants to have pets:

·         Less vacancies

If you advertise your rental as “pet friendly,” chances are there will be greater interest in your property.  One study found that rentals allowing pets rented in 19 days, versus 29 days for non-pet-friendly units¹.   

·         More long-term rentals

The same study found that tenants with pets tended to rent for an average of 46 months, as opposed to non-pet-friendly units where the average tenant rented for 18 months.

·         More profit for landlords

Researchers also found that landlords who allow pets see more demand, and therefore can charge higher prices for monthly rent. How much higher? According to the survey, 20-30% higher rents.

Tenants allowed to have pets rent for twice as long as those who can’t

What is your stance on renting to a tenant with a pet? If you’ve had a positive experience, we want to hear about it. Comment below!

For more information about tenant screening, and other tools every new landlord or real estate investor needs, visit ATS Inc.’s website at http://www.alwaysscreen.com.

^{1 http://www.firepaw.org/CompanionAnimalRentersPetFriendly.pdf}

Landlords Find Boa Constrictor in Rental

Last week, landlords in Indiana received a shock when they discovered a four-foot boa constrictor curled up in the bathroom of a recently vacated apartment. Thankfully, animal control officials were able to retrieve the snake and relocate it to a wildlife refuge area. 

Most landlords and property owners have no problem allowing tenants to live with cats or dogs in their rental unit, as long as there is full disclosure at the time of lease signing. However, perhaps not as many landlords are giving enough thought as to whether or not to allow exotic pets. Have you considered the liabilities that could come with having residents who don’t properly care for them?  For example, some exotic pets carry diseases that can transfer to humans, so do your homework before you allow anything.

Also, before you allow a tenant to keep any pet on your property, make sure it is legal. Some states have laws banning certain primates or big cats from being raised in captivity by private citizens. You should always stipulate in your lease agreement which pets are acceptable – dogs, cats, fish, snakes up to a certain size, etc. 

Don’t forget to also include a pet deposit requirement in the lease agreement. An extra $100 deposit will come in very handy if you have to call in the animal control specialists once the tenant vacates!

Visit ATS Inc's homepage to find out more about our tenant screening services!

Landlords Regret Reality TV Rentals

Recently, a New York property owner rented his Hamptons home to a reality TV show and now alleges the home was destroyed during filming. The homeowners are seeking unspecified monetary damages from the production company amid their claims the furniture, fixtures, and landscaping were all ruined by the reality tenants.

Troubled actress Lindsay Lohan also allegedly found herself in hot water with a landlord. Lohan agreed to let a Bravo network reality show redecorate the home she was renting.  The renovations reportedly cost Bravo $200,000. The actress has been rumored to have many financial issues with IRS, and now some gossip columnists claim Lohan fell behind on her rent and was evicted from the property before the makeover was completed.  Perhaps the landlord should have conducted a more thorough tenant screening of Lohan’s financial situation?

While these landlords might argue renting to a reality television show was more trouble than it’s worth, others might disagree. Some rental properties featured on hit television shows could mean big bucks for property owners. For example, the beachside home made famous by MTV’s Jersey Shore fetched between $2500-to-$4000-a-night after the show became hugely popular.  

Landlords: Would you ever rent out your property for a reality TV show? Why or why not? Comment below!

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The pros and cons of a furnished rental

If you’re a property owner considering renting out your property, or a new landlord wondering how to make the most money from your rental unit, have you thought about keeping it furnished? Most landlords think an unfurnished apartment is the easiest way to go, but in certain markets it could be beneficial to your bottom line if you offer your rental as a fully furnished place to live. You could be looking at a higher-end tenant; a professional in an urban area in particular might find a furnished place appealing. You could also charge a higher rent – in some areas finding a furnished place is rare and, as such, in demand.

Landlords who are worried about their furnishings being damaged should take heart:  Security deposits don’t usually include the value of the furnishings, but in case anything is damaged or needs to be replaced, your insurance policy should cover it. (Check with your agent to be sure.)

A few things to keep in mind before scouring Craigslist and auctions for some nice but inexpensive furnishings are the downsides to renting out a furnished apartment. For one thing, you’ll need to keep a careful inventory of everything you’re providing tenants, from large furniture to kitchen utensils.  And that means a higher chance of having to deal with maintenance and cleaning issues, as you’ll likely be faced with the occasional need to clean, repair or replace furnishings that become damaged or go missing.

Also, people who are looking for furnished apartments are not usually long-term lease signers. They’re often starting a new job in a new place, starting over in their personal lives, or in a temporary living situation due to an emergency. So you have to be OK with that kind of turnover.  Just remember that tenant screening is just as important with a short-term tenant as it is with a long-term tenant; perhaps even more so. 

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Meth Lab Cleanup Is a Cost You Don’t Want to Incur

Methamphetamine is a problem that can destroy lives, bank accounts and families in a very short amount of time. But homemade meth labs are also highly damaging to residential properties. The ingredients used in the manufacturing of meth, when combined, create toxic contaminants that are absorbed into walls, flooring, and ventilation systems.

Once a meth lab is discovered and the residents are arrested, the problem of how to clean up the property falls to the property owner. Cleaning up the toxic contaminants left behind can be a lengthy and expensive process. After a typical meth lab bust, once the police have removed the chemicals and equipment, the local health department writes a condemnation order and orders the property owner to clean up the area. That can cost upwards of $30,000, an expense that is compounded by the owner’s inability to get rental payments out of the property for the month(s) it is uninhabitable due to the cleaning process.

Because the liability is so great when it comes to meth labs, every property owner should be diligent about conducting thorough background checks for all prospective tenants. Look for a history of issues related to substance abuse, check the tenant’s criminal record, and speak with former landlords about the tenant to get landlord references. Remember, screening residents is the first line of defense.

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