Top Landlord QualitiesEvery landlords wants a qualified tenant that pays rent on time and takes care of the property.  And with news of the renting population growing, as millennials are postponing home ownership despite job stability, there is a steady stream of qualified renters available as potential tenants.

But, as with every relationship, the landlord-tenant relationship is a 2 way street, and the most qualified tenants want to rent from the most qualified landlords.  Just as landlords perform tenant screening to pick the best renter, tenants have an equal opportunity to be choosy about who they decide to rent from.

While the landlord screening process might not be as involved as tenant screening (I’d love to see a landlord give up their SSN to a determined applicant!), providing great service to current and future renters will give you the best chance of finding and securing your dream tenants.

Even if you manage the most desirable rental property, poor landlord qualities can cause a good tenant to move away at the first opportunity.

Here are some of the best qualities in lanlords tenants love:

Available

A good landlord is available to their tenants to answer questions and concerns about the rental property.  This means answering your phone when tenants call, checking your email and listening to voicemails.  A big part of property management involves great communication with your tenants.

Responsive

A good landlord is responsive to their tenants’ reasonable requests and questions.  Managing maintenance requests, responding to phone calls and emails, and following up about a complaint in a timely manner will make your tenant feel valued and appreciate your service.

Proactive

A good landlord is proactive about managing their rental property.  Scheduling routine maintenance, performing seasonal inspections to assess the property’s performance and sending reminders to tenants about due dates or lease expirations are some ways a landlord can be proactive.  Taking steps to proactively manage your property shows your tenant that you value your investment and want to provide a quality residence for them.  Setting up reminders in your property management software is an easy way to be a proactive landlord.

Respectful

A good landlord is respectful of their tenant’s privacy.  Let your tenant keep to themselves if they want to, and don’t constantly check in on them.  While being proactive about routine maintenance and seasonal reminders is appreciated, bothering your tenant too much can be annoying.  And remember, legally you must notify a tenant in advance before entering the property.

Professional

A good landlord is professional with their rental business.    Professionalism demonstrates trustworthiness when it comes to private information like bank account information on checks and social security numbers on rental applications.  Renting also involves large sums of your tenants’ money and they want to know their rent payments are appropriately managed.

Reputable

A good landlord has a stellar reputation in the rental community.  Prospective tenants will turn to word of mouth recommendations and online reviews to find out what it like to rent from you.  Manage your social presence to find out what people are saying about you to make sure it is something your future tenants will want to hear too.

The best landlords can attract the best tenants and will promote a positive landlord-tenant relationship that you will both want to maintain.

 What are some other important landlord qualities you’ve found that help you stand out amongst the competition?