Strong Resident Selection Criteria: Good for Both Owners and Tenants!
For property owners, a rental home is a major investment, and the biggest factor in protecting it is the resident living there day to day. That’s why we treat resident selection as a first line of defense, using a consistent, documentation-driven process that goes beyond a simple credit check to evaluate payment history, rental behavior, stability, and accountability.
For tenants, this same approach creates a fairer and more predictable rental experience, with clear expectations, objective decisions, and neighbors held to the same standards. The result benefits both sides: better-cared-for homes, more stable communities, and fewer disruptions over time.
Tenant Qualifications
Applicants must have a combined gross income of at least 2.5 times the monthly rent. We reserve the right to require a co-signer. A minimum of two years residential rental or ownership history is required.
Credit history and/or civil court records must not contain judgements, eviction filings, collections, auto repo’s, or liens within the past 5 years. Any bankruptcies must be discharged more than 5 years from the date of application.
Self-Employed applicants must produce 2 years of tax returns or 1099S, as well as a 1 year P&L statement from their business. Non-employed individuals must provide verifiable proof income.
Criminal Records must contain no convictions for misdemeanors for crimes involving violence, assault or battery, drugs, firearm; felonies within the past seven years and no sexual offenses ever. In the event a record comes back “Adjudication Withheld”, “Nolle Prosse”, or “Adjudication Deferred”, further documentation may be required, and the applicant may be denied on this basis.
Previous rental history reports from landlords must reflect timely payment, sufficient notice of intent to vacate, no complaints regarding noise, disturbances or illegal activities, no unpaid NSF checks, and no damage to unit or failure to leave the property clean and without damage at time of lease termination.
Pets & Assistance Animals (Service Animals / ESAs): Pets are considered on a case-by-case basis and must comply with any property-specific restrictions (insurance requirements, HOA/association rules, and applicable local ordinances). All applicants must complete a PetScreening.com profile—either a “No Pet/Animal” profile or a profile for each animal—so we can make consistent, documented decisions using verified information like vaccination records, photos, and relevant history.
Assistance animals are not pets. We process service animal and emotional support animal requests as a reasonable accommodation in compliance with applicable federal and state fair housing guidance. To ensure consistency, reduce fraud risk, and protect all parties, applicants complete PetScreening’s Assistance Animal Accommodation Request, which is reviewed through their validation workflow. Pet fees, pet rent, and pet deposits are not charged for approved assistance animals as required by law.
Household pets (non-assistance animals) may be subject to additional deposits and/or non-refundable cleaning fees as permitted by the lease and property policy.
Applicants may be required to pay a holding fee at the time of application approval and a security deposit at lease execution. We reserve the right to require a higher security deposit and/or additional prepaid rent if the situation calls for it. All funds prior to occupancy must be in the form of a cashier’s check or Appfolio Tenant Dashboard Electronic Payment. We require a holding fee to be collected to hold a property off the market. In the event the application is approved, and applicant fails to enter into a lease, the applicant shall forfeit this fee. In the event the application is approved, this fee will be applied to the first full calendar month’s rent.
Applicants may be required, in some areas, to be approved by a condo/homeowner’s association and may have to pay an additional application fee or an additional security or damage deposit. The advertisement for the property will have the required information.
The number of occupants must be in compliance with HUD or local jurisdiction standards/guidelines for the applied unit.
Any exceptions to our company’s criteria will be documented in writing in the tenant’s online profile. If approval is then given for such exceptions, additional security deposits, co-signers, increased rent, and/or additional advance rent payments may be required.
Our company policy is to report all non-compliances with terms of your rental agreement or failure to pay rent, or any amounts owed to the credit bureau and/or a collection agency and if the amount is disputed, it shall be reported as disputed in accordance with law.
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