A HOME VISIT IS A NECESSITY! 
By Joe Neilson
 
When renting to low to middle income residents or to renters in marginal, challenging, or some inner city areas, the "Home Visit" of the current home of any prospective resident is a vital necessity in the application process. What you see and smell at a home visit of the current residence of a prospective is what your home will be like 30 days after the prospective resident moves in. It's that simple.  
 
Never pass over the Home Visit. I know it's inconvenient, time consuming, and possibly intrusive on you and the prospective resident.  Having done home visits for years, I WOULD NEVER, EVER, LET A RESIDENT IN WITHOUT ONE. I am astounded why all landlords don't make home visits mandatory.
 
Expect that 33% of prospective residents will not make an appointment, not answer the phone on your confirmation call one hour before the visit, or not answer the door. They know what their house is like. They are avoiding the expected rejection. So be it. That means that you just missed a bullet. :)
 
-- By Joe Neilson, author of BUY & RENT FORECLOSURES.