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Let’s be honest—we’ve all made at least one rookie mistake in real estate. For many landlords, that mistake starts with a rushed tenant placement. Maybe the applicant seemed friendly. Maybe they promised to pay in cash. Or maybe you were tired of the vacancy dragging on and decided to “just go with it.”
Fast-forward three months: Rent’s late (again), the neighbors are complaining, and your stress level is rising with every unanswered text. Sound familiar?
The reality is that most horror stories in landlording start with one thing: poor screening. And it’s not just about protecting yourself—screening tenants is one of the smartest financial decisions you can make.
The Cost of a Shortcut
Here’s a little-known truth: The most expensive problems in real estate don’t come from the property—they come from the people in it. According to RentRedi’s latest tenant screening survey, landlords who skipped screening were:
More likely to have late payments
60% more likely to evict a tenant
More likely to report turnover-related losses and emotional burnout
Even something as simple as late rent can throw off your mortgage schedule, rack up late fees, or kill your ability to reinvest.
And evictions? Those can easily cost between $3,500 and $10,000 once you add up court fees, legal filings, lost income, and unit turnover. All because the initial application looked fine.
The Numbers That Change the Game
Here’s what the data shows when screening is done right:
Tenants screened with RentRedi tools paid rent an average of 17 days earlier than those who weren’t screened.
Those same tenants hit a 90% on-time payment rate—compared to just 83% for unscreened tenants.
Landlords who used comprehensive screening were far more likely to say they felt confident in their tenant choices and experienced less turnover.
That’s not just peace of mind—that’s cash flow stability, tenant retention, and fewer headaches.
What Good Screening Actually Looks Like
Good screening goes beyond a handshake and a good vibe. With RentRedi, screening isn’t just smarter—it’s seamless.
Here’s what’s included:
TransUnion credit, criminal, and eviction checks, all in one report
Income and asset verification via Plaid, so you know exactly what’s in their bank account (no more shady pay stubs)
Instant access to reports, built into your landlord dashboard—no clunky third-party apps
You’re not just checking a box. You’re building a system that filters for financially stable, respectful, long-term tenants.
Eviction-Proofing Your Portfolio
No screening tool can guarantee you’ll never have issues—but the odds shift dramatically when you screen upfront. You minimize the red flags, reduce costly turnover, and stop wasting time chasing rent or cleaning up after someone who should never have moved in.
This is how you grow your portfolio without burning out:
Stable tenants who pay on time
Lower turnover = lower expenses
Less stress = more bandwidth to scale
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Final Thought: “I Wish I Had…” vs. “Glad I Did”
Every landlord has a story about the tenant that got through. The goal is to make that the exception—not the pattern. If you’re still going off your gut when choosing tenants, it’s time to upgrade your process.
RentRedi gives you the tools to verify, qualify, and protect your investment—so you can stop reacting and start running your rentals like a business.
Curious how your process compares? See what other landlords are doing in RentRedi’s 2024 Tenant Screening Survey and explore the screening features designed to save you time, money, and sanity.
Ashley Kehr is the co-host of the Real Estate Rookie Podcast. Just a few years removed from being a beginner herself, …Read More
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