TENANT QUALIFICATION

Just because you have a 700-credit score does not mean you are qualified. Likewise if your credit score is 580 you are not automatically disqualified.
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TENANT QUALIFICATION CRITERIA THAT WORK

“Must be over 700 to apply.”  Simple criteria like credit score requirements are enticing because of their simplicity, but ineffective for the same reason.

TENANT QUALIFICATION DETAILS

CREDIT SCORE
LATE PAYMENTS
REVOLVING DEBT UTILIZATION
TOTAL DEBT PICTURE
  • We were under boomtown when we moved to Maryland from the west coast. Johns team was able to FaceTime a walk through the house, answer all questions & have a seamless transfer with keys and all the necessary information when we moved. It made everything much less stressful (especially west to east).
    Anytime something came up with the house, johns team was on it. We had several leaks spring up & other issues within the first few months. Boomtown was incredible to work with.
    Unfortunately our landlord was awful & refused to fix things at an appropriate timeframe. She didn’t like boomtowns willingness to fix things immediately before it got worse. We were transferred to another property management company for the remainder of our lease and they were awful to work with. The difference with them and boomtown was night and day.
    Highly recommend Boomtown & we will be looking at them if we choose to rent our home we purchased.

    Ana
    6/09/2023
  • As a new tenant, we've had a very smooth and easy qualification and lease process with Boomtown! They were immediately responsive and helpful in setting up our showing, and John spent time answering our questions when we met. Katie helped us with the leasing process and made it very seamless. We've been renting for many years and this was the easiest lease signing yet!

    Heather
    5/26/2023
  • Our family has just completed the application process and we are moving into our new home, thanks to Boomtown! Katie has been incredibly helpful and responsive throughout the entire process and has made the application process very easy. John was very knowledgeable about the property and always happy to answer questions. We are impressed by their professionalism and how quickly the process of getting into our new home has been. We are happy with our experience so far and look forward to working with them.

    Jasmine
    4/23/2023
  • I havent rented with them yet but I went on a tour with john he was great very knowledgeable about the property and friendly! He even let my client come along with me to the showing. katie has been nothing but helpful through email answering all my questions and making the application process very stress free!

    Natalia
    3/16/2023
  • Basing this review off of our experience touring and moving into the property and our interactions with Boomtown thus far.

    My wife and I toured one of their properties a few weeks ago and were very appreciative that the owner, John, was flexible with us and patient with all our questions. Since then, we've had nothing but a positive experience through all of our initial onboarding with Boomtown and Katie has been INCREDIBLY responsive and helpful with providing everything in a super transparent and timely manner.

    I hope that our relationship with Boomtown continues to be this positive throughout our upcoming lease, because we've had nothing but an amazing experience thus far!

    Sean
    2/20/2023
  • We have been working with Boomtown Inc. for several years. Angie is always quick to respond to questions or concerns, and goes out of her way to assist in resolving any issues that arise. The entire staff at Boomtown Inc. is very professional and it’s been a positive experience working with them.

    Thomas
    12/13/2022
  • John and Katie were great to deal with! Got us approved super fast, John has integrity and is honest about properties and got us the place we couldn’t be happier going to! 5 stars!

    Bryan
    10/19/2022
  • I’ve moved several times with different apartments and property management companies and this is by far the best experience I’ve had! The entire process was quick, well explained, and easy. John was very friendly and personable showing us the property and Katie has been amazing at getting everything set up and answering any questions. I quite literally never had to wait on answers or follow up on my own. 10/10 would work with them again. I’m very excited to me moving in to one of their properties!

    Sydney
    9/30/2022
  • Our experience was excellent. They gave us all the support and the process was very fast. We thank all the Boomtown team, especially Katie, who was very attentive and punctual in everything. We highly recommend her company.

    Samuel
    9/30/2022
  • Despite not having any weekend hours, Boomtown Inc. managed to get more done and process everything faster than major companies paid to essentially work 24/7. John was kind and polite when showing the property while exhibiting professionalism and knowledge. The real star of the show though is Katie and how quickly and efficiently she is with email responses of any kind. Just follow along with their detailed emails about what is needed from you and you'll be into your new home quicker than you might believe.

    Daniel
    9/29/2022

Credit Score

Credit score cutoff is the most common and probably least effective measure of a prospective tenant. Credit scores are a compilation of factors used by credit bureaus to determine creditworthiness; however, not all of these criteria are applicable to assessing a prospective tenant.

In truth many times a credit score requirements are used as a simple (and lazy) way to quickly disqualify a large pool of prospective renters, who would be more difficult to qualify, without any work. Our process at Boomtown could not be more juxtaposed to this policy. At Boomtown we work to attract the largest possible pool prospective tenants, and through automation we aggregate and process all inquiries and narrow the field using our proprietary process and standards.

At Boomtown we do not disqualify based on credit score alone. We believe in the sufficiency of the credit report and our qualification standards using late payments, revolving debt utilization and total debt.

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Late Payments

When assessing a prospective tenant with a low credit score examining the credit report for late payments is a great way to determine if the candidate would be a good risk. Many times low credit scores are a result of a lack of open credit lines or zero balances on revolving lines – this is not a bad thing from a landlord’s perspective when qualifying a new tenant. Other times a low credit score could result from a single low balance in collections (e.g., $35 cable bill or $15 delinquent cell phone bill). Again, from a landlord’s perspective these do not warrant the disqualification of an otherwise qualified future tenant.

We believe the past is the best predictor of the future and so we place an emphasis on timely payments when qualifying future tenants.

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Revolving Debt Utilization

Revolving debt utilization and high revolving debt balances are the most common reason why prospective tenants with high credit scores are disqualified. High revolving debt balances are a key marker for bankruptcy risk and collecting back rent or prosecuting an eviction with a tenant in bankruptcy can be time consuming and expensive. Evicting a tenant in bankruptcy involves petitioning the bankruptcy court to lift the automatic eviction stay which delays any eviction in progress and adds additional attorney fees.

Likewise, high utilization on revolving lines of credit (credit cards) is a key indicator of a prospective tenant living above their means by financing their lifestyle through high interest unsecured debt. Unfortunately, these types of situations are usually the beginning of a downward spiral of higher payments, higher interest charges, and eventually bankruptcy.

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Total Debt Picture

The final step in qualifying a prospective tenant is to review the total debt picture and credit history. Which way is the credit report trending – is it getting better or worse? Are the instances of late payments increasing or decreasing? Was a life event responsible for derogatory events on a credit report? Divorce is very common and a typical reason for anomalies on a credit report. Is total debt increasing or decreasing? Student loan debt isn’t necessarily bad and is often associated with promotions or new employment.

At Boomtown we analyze the details of each credit report and examine the total debt picture before making a decision and presenting a qualified application to the property owner.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How are emergency calls handled afterhours?2021-07-07T15:53:07-04:00

All afterhours emergency calls are answered 24/7 by a Boomtown employee trained in the immediate mitigation of property loss. If necessary, emergency services are arranged to limit property loss, and our owners are provided a video if an emergency site visit is necessary.

How will I know that the tenants are taking care of the property?2021-07-07T15:52:58-04:00

Maintenance inspections are performed twice a year. Boomtown property owners are provided with an inspection report with time / date stamped pictures so you can feel confident in the condition of your property. During the turnover process you can stream the move-in / move-out video for additional detail.

What type of properties do you manage?2021-07-07T15:52:46-04:00

We manage residential property in Frederick and Montgomery counties.

How quickly do I receive the rent income?2021-07-07T15:52:34-04:00

Owner distributions are processed on the 15th of each month and funds are generally available within 48 hours. All owner distributions are direct deposited.

How long is a typical turnover?2021-07-07T15:52:22-04:00

1-2 weeks. We generally need about 1-2 weeks after a move-out to inspect the property, and make it move-in ready for a new tenant.

Who takes care of turnover work?2021-07-07T15:52:14-04:00

We do! The placement fee includes the work Boomtown does to scope and administrate any work done at your property. Contractors perform the work, Boomtown administrates the work.

Can I do my own turnover work?2021-07-07T15:52:05-04:00

Yes. Our requirement for licensed and insured labor is only for occupied units. Boomtown only hires contractors that are licensed and insured; however, you are welcome to perform work on your own property and hire your own contractors without restrictions during the turnover process.

Can I use my own contractors?2021-07-07T15:51:56-04:00

Yes. We are happy to oblige any request for preferred contractors as long as they are licensed and insured.

Why should I sign with Boomtown?2021-07-07T15:51:48-04:00

This question is predicated on assumptions. A better question would be: “What matters to you as you consider a professional property manager?” Browse through our Services and Types of Owners sections. We are a property management company focused on adding value by innovating through technology to deliver better experiences at a lower cost. If that works for you, then our Rental Analysis is the next step.

What makes Boomtown different?2021-07-07T15:51:37-04:00

Low price AND great service. We use technology to drive down the cost of business and we pass the savings to you. We’re not a property management franchise. We’re not the largest property manager in Maryland (and we don’t want to be). We’re a small business with great processes and a professional staff working with like-minded property owners in Frederick and Montgomery counties.

Do run background and credit checks on tenants?2021-07-07T15:51:28-04:00

Yes, 100% of our tenants have been verified through background and credit checks. We also conduct employer and landlord verifications for all wage earners. Private landlords go through an additional step to verify ownership and validate the reference.

How would you market my property?2021-07-07T15:51:17-04:00

We used a paid marketing syndicate to advertise our properties on 41 different sites. When a prospective tenant shows interest our automated CRM software takes them through the process to schedule a showing 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We regularly place new tenants in 48 – 72 hours using our proprietary system. Even phone calls at midnight on Saturday are processed immediately using our automation.

How much do you charge?2023-02-07T08:49:13-05:00

Our management fee is 6%/mo., we do not have any hidden fees. There are no start-up fees, or marketing fees and we do not add 10% to vendor invoices. Click here for details on our placement fee and lease renewal fee.

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60 DAYS.
NO COST, NO OBLIGATION.

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