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Landlord

TurboTenant vs. Zillow Rental Manager (and an alternative worth considering)

Most landlords comparing TurboTenant and Zillow Rental Manager are trying to answer the same question: how do I find the right tenant? That means getting your listing in front of renters, screening the people who apply, and confirming they actually earn what they claim. Zillow gives you the audience, but you can only verify income with uploaded pay stubs, which AI tools can easily doctor. TurboTenant's free plan covers screening, but it skips Zillow and charges $199 a year to verify income. RentSpree handles all three on its free plan: Zillow syndication, TransUnion screening, and bank-verified income for a flat $49.99 per tenant screening that you can require the applicant to pay.

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Kimberly Mingo
Landlord

How to verify tenant employment (and reduce income fraud)

Employment verification helps you check where an applicant works, while income verification confirms how much they earn. Both can help you evaluate the information an applicant provides against the criteria you've set for your rental. You can verify employment by contacting an employer directly, then verify income through financial documents or bank-connected income data. RentSpree brings the application, screening reports, income verification, and reference checks together in one place. Bank-connected income verification pulls deposit data directly from an applicant's financial institution, so you're not relying on documents that could be altered.

Smiling woman with dark hair wearing striped blazer and gold necklace, standing outside near a wooden structure.
Kimberly Mingo
Landlord

Credit checks for tenants: what landlords need to know

Most landlords check the credit score and stop there. Knowing how to read that data, set documented criteria around it, and handle denials correctly is what separates a confident screening decision from a costly one. RentSpree's screening includes a TransUnion credit report with ResidentScore on every application, with most results back in two hours.

Smiling woman with dark hair wearing striped blazer and gold necklace, standing outside near a wooden structure.
Kimberly Mingo

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Agent

How long does it take for a TransUnion credit report to update?

When you’re implementing a screening report as part of your tenant approval process, you want to make sure that the information you gather is as up to date and accurate as possible. When you’re pulling information from a TransUnion credit report, it’s a good idea to know how long it takes for the report to update so that you can make better decisions based on relevant information.

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Christy Murdock
Author
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Agent

What to Do If an Eviction Shows up on a SmartMove Report but Not Court Records

As part of your screening process, you’ll need a sense of your applicant’s rental background, including any evictions on their record. But what do you do if the eviction is not showing up on court records? We’ll guide you through the evaluation process for your applicant’s rental background check, tell you more about the eviction process, and help you decide whether their past challenges constitute a deal-breaking barrier to approval.

Smiling middle-aged woman with shoulder-length dark hair wearing a black top and grey background.
Christy Murdock
Author
Pet screening download example
Landlord

How to Conduct a Pet Screening [+ Example Application]

As a landlord, you may or may not choose to accept tenants with pets. If you decide to do so, however, you may be unsure about what restrictions you can place on the pets you welcome and what information you can ask for upfront. Our pet screening and pet application guide provides the information you need so that you can get all of your questions answered and have important conversations with your pet-owning potential tenants.

Smiling man with short dark hair and beard wearing a blue blazer and black shirt.
Michael Lucarelli
RentSpree CEO
two real estate professionals in a job interview
Agent

32 Real Estate Careers for a Fulfilling Side Hustle or Full-Time Gig

If you have a passion for real estate, there are plenty of ways to make a living doing what you love. Not quite ready to switch careers? There are also side gigs you can participate in while you are getting your education and seeking licensure. This list of 32 real estate careers is sure to get you thinking about how to turn your love of real estate into a satisfying, and rewarding, career.

Smiling man with short dark hair and beard wearing a blue blazer and black shirt.
Michael Lucarelli
RentSpree CEO
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Agent

Beginner Strategies For Top Real Estate Agents

Contrary to popular belief, real estate isn’t so much a sales job as it is a small business. That means that you need to know how to plan ahead, strategize, and scale up for optimal growth. These strategies for top real estate agents will take you from beginner to experienced agent and business owner so that you can experience the kind of consistent success you’re looking for under a variety of market conditions.

Smiling man with short dark hair and beard wearing a blue blazer and black shirt.
Michael Lucarelli
RentSpree CEO
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Landlord

10 Ways Agents and Landlords Can Find Tenants

Finding the perfect tenant these days takes more than putting a For Rent sign in the window and hoping for the best. If you’re trying to rent an empty property, or if you’ve found that your last few tenants are less reliable than you’d like, we’ve got ten ways to find tenants that are better qualified with a process that offers more reliable, consistent results. Most of all, by following these steps and this strategy, you’ll create a plug-and-play process that you can implement for all of your properties.

Smiling woman with dark hair wearing striped blazer and gold necklace, standing outside near a wooden structure.
Kimberly Mingo
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Landlord

Can a Landlord Choose Tenants?

As a landlord, you may pride yourself on your instincts for people. You may feel that a handshake and a five-minute conversation are all you need to choose a great tenant. However, there are fair housing laws and local and state regulations that must come into play when a landlord is choosing a potential tenant. So can a landlord choose tenants? Yes, within the bounds of certain limitations.

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RentSpree Staff
Man reviewing tenant screening report with QR code
Agent

What is a screening report?

You may be used to making your decisions about new tenants based on highly unique criteria, or even just a gut feeling following an initial conversation. However, to make a truly informed decision, a screening report is a must. What is a screening report, what information does it contain, and how do you evaluate and compare screening reports for potential tenants? Here you’ll learn all of the ins and outs of the process and the final product.

Smiling woman with dark hair wearing striped blazer and gold necklace, standing outside near a wooden structure.
Kimberly Mingo
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Landlord

What Is A TransUnion SmartMove Resident Score?

You already know the TransUnion SmartMove report is a great option for conducting your rental applicant screening process. Now find out what one of its most unique features, the resident score, can tell you about your potential tenant. What is a resident score? It’s just the latest way that the Transunion Smartmove report is designed to make property management and landlording easier than ever.

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RentSpree Staff