Does anyone have great ideas for reducing skips and evictions in Texas?

We have some properties that are drowning in turnover and bad debt. You can't help them make money so what else have you been successful at? Thanks group!

Checkpoint ID - truly check ID's. Incentivize the "go-getter" AM's by giving them a % of the monies collected. Goal is always 1/2-1%. Sounds like some of the mishaps are in the screening process. Truly qualify prospects and don't take occupancy over more work for nothing. It never pays off.

Focus on qualifying criteria. Second chances aren't worth the risk. Guarantors are priceless - call them if rent is late and if there is damage

Jennifer Kotzur guarantors dont pay any faster than the resident. I dont take them or co signers.

At a company I worked at before we offered a one time (for everyone) clean slate - if rent etc was paid by month end close out in December - late fees were waived for December - start the new year on time!
One time we also did a written payment agreement if they were behind let’s say $600 - we took that $600 and split it evenly over the remainder of their lease

Make sure they qualify and arent a fake applicant

We try larger deposits and it has helped but my goodness it is awful right?? Balance between getting them in for occupancy but double checking everything and everyone!!! People are complaining it is taking us longer but not much we can do!!
C product is really suffering and they are damaging too so stay in there forever and force a writ and we have damages! People suck sometimes!!

Stop the month free upfront which attracts people who plan to move in for little to nothing upfront and never pay, ride out eviction wait time.

I work at a property in TX and I have noticed a TON of applications where people use a “fake” social and you’ll know because the FICO score shows as 0 but they somehow are approved. I go and search the public records on the county website and they are usually under eviction at another property... These people always need to move ASAP which is always a red flag in my book.

Change your rental criteria. More income times the rent amount. Always verify verify verify.. rental, job etc... Higher deposits, no first time renters.

Qualifying, screening, credit, criminal, rental history and employment verification. Investigate your applications. Contact HR numbers posted online not whats on the application. Match details request pay stub and 6 months bank statements to prove income steadiness. We also require rental ledgers with rental history. It might take longer but it makes a difference over time. 700 or higher FICO scores immediately pass go. 500-700 conditional approval anything under 500 is denied. 2019 barely 10 skips and evictions closed every month with less than 1% delinquency on 344 doors.

Agree that you should consider changing your rental criteria. Also check with your screening company to see what they offer to combat identity fraud. We had issues in Texas and a few other states and implemented Certain ID from Corelogic. It works very well.

Eviction hold offs.

Checkpoint ID for tours and move ins and Verify ID for online applicants. Checkpoint ID is what the airports use when you get in line to go through security.

Sure Deposit. Less money for them upfront, but covers you at a much higher dollar amount to collect

So true on the upfront concessions - not worth it!

I stopped taking notarized “cash pay” letters from employers. I need to see bank deposits or cancelled checks, or other form
Of verifiable document. This helped tremendously with qualifying. Anyone can write a letter saying they pay you one million dollars a month, and it not be true.

Esmeralda Castro de Moreno I did this as well. I also require all applications in person., no on line applications. deposits, app fees and 1st months rent, money orders only. Way too much fraud out there.

It starts with your qualification criteria, might need to revisit and revise.

Do proper research and verification, and put an place some payment arrangements in case of hardship, instead of filing people respond in a very positive way to that.

If its a C property in a bad area how can you toughen your qualifying criteria if no upgrades are being made and your clientele is on the lower scale side of things? If your owners are driving you to fill vacancy but refuse to improve the property Jump ship!!

Make sure prospects are being screened correctly and verify all info and income meets properties criteria. Dont just approve people for quick solutions. Just my opinion as I have been through this at a few sites I took over with issues.

Trust your leasing agents when they tell you something is wrong. I would tell my managers I get a funny feeling because of XYZ. Would even show them errors on the fake pay stubs. Manager would override and approve because the fraud app was throwing a fit. It starts while you're on tour. When you get those ASAP move ins.... The ones that apply online using a bank account and want their keys before their app/admin deposit comes back as NSF. I would tell my prospects that if they apply online and need a fast move jn pay by credit card. If they pay by ACH we have to wait 7-10 business days for the funds to clear or they can pay with certified funds in office. The scammers would know right then this isn't the property to try. Also, minimize up front concessions. Fraud love the 2 months free up front. Pro rate over lease term. If your owners won't allow to pro rate, then make sure it comes off a later month. We made this rule that if your move in date is after the 15th of the month, your concession would be pushed back. For example, if you moved in December 14th, January will be your free month. If you move in December 15th, February will be your free month. That way we're collecting some money up front and not moving in someone that plans to skip. Having these strong policies would help deter the fraud people.

We need to stop worrying about that occupancy number to the point we qualify people who shouldn’t be qualified. We need to address and implement strong collection policies and we need to engage with our community. Resident activities. If they like you they will think twice about doing you dirty. Trust me o went from a A + property with 0 delinquency to a property I call a beast with a 30 thousand dolled delinquency. I inherited this two months ago. The delinquency is coming down ( hard to believe). You have to build that relationship. I hadn’t filed eviction or
Had a
Skip in years. This is new to
Me but I’m
Learning respect
Communication
And relationship building
Will help.

Find out the cause
My guess is they don’t qualify or bad roommate situations
Communication is the key

I'm seeing a definite increase in paupers affidavits and appeals on evictions. No one used to know about these steps. If they appeal they get another 4 to 6 weeks to stay without paying a dime. Then after you have paid a ridiculous amount of money for an attorney in the appeal case, they dont show up at court and move out. Just had one that owed me over $5000 by the time he moved out. Its ridiculous.

screening criteria or AI type solution, incentive to save from credit reporting for skip if company willing to work out cancellation withiout extreme penalties or payoff schedules, report all to bureaus so that it attaches to the applicants records and all occupying the apartment...

We use checkpoint ID and love it. Also for anyone who is moving in within 30 days their first payment has to be in certified funds

Don't want to beat the dead horse but I would try a stricter screening service that's strong on fraud. Try Transunion or Resident Check.

I have always found the answer to this problem is not solved with a gimmick. The symptoms you describe lead back to the manager. Either someone is stealing, not qualifying the move in adequately, following up, has set up the wrong culture with your residents and/or isn't actually at work when you think they are there. I've been in this business 35 years and no matter what..... "its the manager, its the manager, its the manager." I'd bet my first born if you replace the manager, the problem will be resolved.

We started making anyone who was moving in within 30 days of applying to pay in certified funds. If they were moving in after close out (ours is the 22nd) We would require them to pay for the pro-rate of the month they were moving in PLUS the next month in certified funds. Then after that they can pay online, personal check etc. Treated everyone the same and have since- we also use Checkpoint ID- both of these have helped!

We have two five bedroomed houses. We rent the rooms out to the repressed. The rent pays for the mortgage. The repressed are reoffenders, offenders, homeless and mental health clients who are cleared to be independent when they are not. Or all of the above. We are registered as a Charitable Trust yet have been declined for funding every time we have applied. 64 times.
We have a 69% success rate and the only return we get is love. The clients are firstly taken to Work and Income. Then to a Doctor. The Doctors report allows Work and Income to put them into a category for their specific benefits.
The clients are then taken to the Dinsdale Countdown where the Manager will introduce himself and show them around the shop. This makes them feel relaxed and special. They will also get the sane treatment at Dinsdale library where they are shown how to do CV, and use the internet.

I hope this helps.

Lots of great tips here! Once you have them in, invoice for rent before it’s due! Cable and dish send an invoice, utilities invoice, rental furniture sends an invoice, why wouldn’t we? Don’t just assume they know the rent amount and will remember to pay it.