I can't help you pick which couple but you can always put a clause in the rental agreement that you cannot operate a business out of the house. I assume the house is in a zoned residential neighborhood. Did you do a credit check on the renters?

I'll be blunt and tell you to go with the couple that has no kids and makes more money. This is from experience. But you'll have to have a good reason to reject the other family because it can be perceived as discrimination.

As much as you try to help people nowadays, it comes back to bite you. Look out for yourself. Sorry.

I'm not a landlord, but I do have 3 kids and we rent a house.

My expert advice from a different perspective would be to definitely choose the couple with no kids. :)

I have their info to do a credit check on each of them. I havent't done it yet. That's one of the questions I have. What is the best way to go about doing this? Are these places online legit? Or should I go to a property managment co. to have them do it?
Zeetera,
I have thought about it in that way also. I feel bad, which I know I shouldn't. I also wonder what I would tell them if I don't accpet them.
Oh, I definately would have that in the contract, that no business can be run out of the house.
Thanks!!
Rita

A decent real estate agent will be versed in things such as finding out their financial info and informing the rejected parties with reasons. They'll also handle the ins and outs of the lease.

If you can afford it, please use one because a properly written, signed contract can save you a lot of money in the future.

no kids=more $$ that's why we have NO kids LOL go w/ that couple. more $$=you have a better chance of getting your rent paid on time don't get me started on renters! my grandmother accumulated lots and lots of buildings in the 60's & 70's and because the responsibility later fell to my father to take care of her properties i quickly learned it was better to leave them vacant. which is what we've done w/ almost 100 apartment buildings...far less problems lol. we never had problems till my grandmother rented to a family, never ever did that again, they trashed the place after not paying for 6 months (that's how long it took to get them out). i made sure the wife & husband lost their city jobs and their church didn't rent to them either (there are advantages to a city machine :-))...you don't want me for a landlord if you don't pay lol ~ liz

We rent- we have also raised three kids, 8 cats and 5 dogs in this house. Now, that being said, we pay for our own exterminator each year (for fleas) and we also have painted, clean the carpets 2 x a year, paid for minor repairs, ect. I would still choose the family with no kids. Kids are hard on everything, including homes. Just my 2 cents.

Trish in SC

Remember, as a landlord, you are not their friend. You are a business person. If you can afford it, talk to a property management business or a RE agency with a specialist in this field. Get everything in writing. NO verbal promises. If the person with children, took additional children, how about the insurance, neighbors, and zoning?
I was a "friend" instead of a landlord and ended up rebuilding the house after we had them evicted. Yes it is almost impossibility to evict anyone, especially with children without going thru court and expensive experience.
Remember people can promise the moon, references can be told to you and may mean nothing especially if they are friends or where the people work.
At least consult a legal person.
Remember business first, likes/friendship last.

I have been a renter - one stepson, age 16, living with me at the time - but when I was chosen applicant, I had to wait 2 months to move in, while they renovated the 3-bedroom house - it was literally destroyed by 2 big dogs, a mother, father, 5 of their kids - one with a girlfriend and a baby.

The owner had to pay a remodeling company to tear out all the flooring, walls and fixtures and replace them. The kitchen cabinets still bear the scares of some animal/pet they had.

When he was finally able to evict them, they were 6 months behind in their rent. Their credit check and references were acceptable.

Go with the 'no kids, more money' family is my suggestion.

Something else to think about.What makes one think that a couple with no kids and $$$$ is going to be any better renter than someone with kids and less money??? I have seen extremes from both types.You take a chance when you rent to anyone,and as mentioned references mean pretty much nothing.Anyone can get people to give a reference.When you rent property you are going to have problems,maintenance,
etc.
If you don't want the headaches,and there will be headaches no matter who you rent to, I would suggest selling the property if you can and let someone else deal with it.
If you do rent my suggestion would be to check "references" and credit and pick the one that measures up in your eyes as the "safe" one.If they are both A-1 and you still can't decide,put the names in a hat and draw!LOL Tell the one that lost that you just couldn't decide between them and that's how you chose.If there is a definite reason,you just tell the "looser" why you can't rent to them.Simple as that.
I don't know the laws where you live but I think you have to have a license to keep over a certain number of children in your home.However,I don't think there would be anything you could do about her having a couple of extra kids,or even why that would matter.You should have a contract with all the stipulations you desire and one stipulating no daycare.

There is a web site I found when looking into a legal issue. Click on community and go to scroll down to real estate law for some in site on landlord issues.Link below, free legal advice.

Get some kind of rental agreement in writing and do a initial walk through with renter and make notes on anything that isn't right have renter sign it to show you both agree on the state of the house when she takes possesion. Take pictures of everything in house to show what the property looks like before it was rented to the person. Are they to mow and water lawn? I have seen renters let lawn die because they don't want to bother or pay for water the lawn.

Here is a link that might be useful: free legal advice

great advise guys!!

I should mention that both couples have been in their current places for 5 years, so that must mean that they have always managed to pay their rent.
I agree with the references, I mean, these people are their friends!!
I'm in California, by the way.
Also, about the possibility of a day care situation, I probably would never know if she were to do that anyways, I guess.
For sure we will have them sign a rental agreement. I have printed some from online.
Does anyone know, when I call for employment verification, can I ask about salary, or no?
thanks
Rita

Go with the couple with no kids. They can clearly afford the rent.

Kids are hard on a place, even when they are well behaved. They can be real hard on the place if they are not well supervised. It is also important in these times that the renter be well able to afford the rent. As others have said here, if you have to evict someone, it takes months and months and fees to the marshal's office with no rent coming in. In the meantime, you are out the money and may well have to spend even more money to fix up the place after the eviction--a very common situation. Been there, done that. New carpet, new walls and doors, new plumbing add up fast.

The credit report will tell you the most important information. Also get first and lasts months rent plus one months rent for security deposit. Stipulate in the lease agreement that they cannot run a business out of the property. Everything must be in writing in the lease agreement. Do a walkthrough with the renters taking pictures of the condition of everything and have them sign each picture. You don't need a realtor to do this just do your homework. Also check your local area to find out if they have a "tenants rights" act you need to follow.
Donna

Here is a link that might be useful: example

Obviously the renters must have renter's insurance but you might need to add coverage to your policy. Call your insurance agent and ask them.

Well, a friend of ours rented out their home. It is illegal to discriminate on the basis of kids here.

The renters paid the deposit and the first months rent.
They never paid another dime. It took our friend almost a year to get them out, as you can't just evict someone with kids.

It took a big court battle to finally get them out, and the place was trashed. Our friends are still cleaning and plan on selling it ASAP.

Take the couple with no kids, at least if it goes sour you have a chance of eviciting them!

When I rented out my old house I got written permission to do the credit check and an application to cover the cost. These days, it is also easy to get a criminal background check - we require it for all of our contractors at work.

I have to say that with any renters you are rolling the dice. The nice professional couple I rented to turned out to be reliable payers, but slobs. They did very little permanent damage, but prepare yourself: They just won't take care of it as if it were their own.

best of luck!

Is there really a law that you can't evict people with kids? or do you just mean that it's kind of low to put kids out? lol.
I realize that with any one, it's a gamble. We would sell, but the market being what it is, we decided that it would be better to rent it for now. My parents just moved into a senior living place, so the extra money will be nice for them.
I am having a hard time figuring out how to do the credit check. Is one of these on-line companies just as good as another. I noticed that there are different "tiers" to what you can request. How far should I go??
Thanks

I don't rent property but know people who do and I know a property manager. First, the kids. Say your prayers that they don't know about this forum, since if they connect you to discrimination you're liable. Eviction can be tough whether they have kids or not. Kids CAN be hard on property, but what if the others are party animals? Hard working family might be better. It depends on the person.

For God's sake don't have a realtor write your contract for you!!! That's the job for an attorney practicing in landlord/tenant law! Check references. Check employment history. A good PI can find a lot of info for not a huge investment. Credit checks are a must. Follow up on employment history and accuracy. If you catch them in a lie...

My friend in the management field has her buildings with a contract that any illegal activity results in immediate eviction and these are "projects" type housing and it holds up. If the cops go to bust them for drugs, for instance, she has maintenance guys go in while the cops are there and they remove all their property from the unit.

Minimum of first & last plus one as deposit, sometimes more. What you can charge for varies from state to state. If you require certain maintenance, write it in along with penalties.

You might go by their current housing and see what it looks like. Maybe stop by unexpectedly for an interview and see what it looks like.

As far as employers, they can't give out much unless they have a release, but few will give out much info even with a release because of liability. I will only verify a person was/is employed and will confirm dates if they provide. I MIGHT answer whether they're eligible for rehire if they're not employed. That's my policy on most, unless they're a fantastic employee that I really want to help. Phrase the questions correctly and you'll get a lot of information without them releasing info. But it's not something you can really use other than for a gut feeling and document other ways. If someone applied first, had the deposit check to you first, brought cash, etc. Again, check with your lawyer to see what you can do.

Remember to consider pets and limitations written in and penalties. Number of people allowed to stay there too.

Remember that most places require you to pay interest on the security deposit so have the clause state it as simple interest accrued annually or something to that effect at the percentage so you don't have to compound it.

BTW, past employers and former neighbors can be a good source of info. If they've been problems and are gone, many will at least indicate they're glad they're gone. Again, a decent PI can be very valuable.

Plan on refurbishing after so many years. I hope you factor that into the cost. Also you should have periodic inspections allowed to make sure things are reasonably maintained. Who cares if they have kids toys on the floor - I'm more concerned about 6" holes punched in the...

It's a business, go with the older couple with no kids. I was a landlady for over 20 years. Beware of anyone giving you cash, that is # 1 of my list of requirements.

Here in Calif it's not illegal to evict someone with kids,because i know someone that that happened to.In her case her apt had a very bad leak when it rained,and her carpets were all wet,the water had run down near the hot water heater and into the kitchen cabinets.She tried to get the landlord to fix the problem to no avail.All they did was come and shampoo the carpet after tthey fixed the leak.Did nothing about the mold,so my friend kept trying to clean it up with bleach,but it kept coming back.She finally took everything out of the cabinet and taped it shut.

I might also add that the landlord was more of a slumlord than not.

My friend finally took her to court and my friend also took pictures with her of all the mold in the apt,of the patio door that had never been finished,no window screens,big sheets of glass standing in the backyard,etc etc.And friend has 2 little kids,and she also has asthma.

All that evidence and my friend lost the case,the slumlord brought her dd with her and they lied their heads off to the judge,and won.How and why,i'll never understand,except she is well known in the community and owns a popular restaurant.

my friend got a 15 day notice to vacate,and they didn't care that she had kids.

I think it depends on a lot of diffeent situations,the judge and numerous other things.

Whatever Cynic. Lawyer or qualified RE. It's her dime and common sense.

Ritamay, just make sure you get a specialised lease and not one printed from the net. Something as simple as a chair being in the house before you rent it out can become a major issue later.

Go with the ocuple that has more money and no kids. You're making a business decision here.

I am leaning more for the couple with no kids. I called to verify his employment, and his boss gave him a great review. They aren't older, 30 and 31. I'll call their references next.
Also, the credit report, that needs to be done. I had them sign a form that says I can run a credit report, guess that's enough.
Thanks for the advise everyone!!
Rita

Gosh, here landlords don't have to give a reason why you did or didn't get the house, they just tell you, "sorry, your application was not successful". The rental market is very tight and often there are dozens of applicants for any one property. Also, landlords usually want a reference from your previous landlord, which is hard if it's your first rental but that is factored in.

Good background check and credit history. Talk to previous landlords.

No children doesn't always make for better tenants. If the house is in a good school district your family may become long term tenants with pride in their home.

Try to get inside or next to their vehicle. It will hint at messiness and whether they smoke.

You may not discriminate on the basis of kids or no kids in a single family home unless it is in a senior living community.

California does not require that they have renter's insurance. You could strongly suggest they carry it. It is not expensive and most people will get it once they understand the landlord is never responsible for their personal property losses.

Do get a good umbrella policy (liability insurance) to cover personal injury situations. You need to have that. If someone gets hurt on the property the lawyers go after the deepest pockets. You as the landlord are the deep pocket.

Schedule regular maintenance checks without being intrusive. Three times a year is not excessive. Give notice you are coming. Respect that it is your house but their home.

Put everything in the contract. Nothing verbal. Be sure to fill out all disclosure statements California law requires.
Leave copies of appliances manuals. be sure they know how everything works.

Do a walk-through before they move in. Take pictures and make notes of wear and tear.

Expect to replace carpet and paint frequently. Your house is their home. Wear and tear is normal. Destruction is not.

Never allow them to do their own repairs. Exception would be if he/she is a plumber and wants to fix the leak or a professional painter. Even then you must pre-approve everything. Every single time.

Do not count on a property manager or realtor to give a
damn. They don't care. It's your property not theirs.

Invest in a copy of the California Landlord's Law Book. Also get the Tenant's version. Best $50 or $60 you'll ever spend.

In reading over your posts again I must say you are not ready to rent. Like many people you assume that all there is to it is to find a good tenant who pays on time.

You need to acquaint yourself with all the responsibilities of land-lording and the tenants also.

California is one of the strictest states.

An online basic rental agreement is not enough. Here is a list of paperwork you should use.

Property Viewing and keys agreement
Rental application
Deposit receipt and agreement
Credit check and screening receipt
Employment verification
Request for verification of deposit
Financial qualifier

THEN comes the rental agreement which includes everything from who can visit and how long they can stay to what happens should you decide to sell during their tenancy.

The Lease Agreement
If you decide to offer a one year lease then at the end of the year the property automatically reverts to month by month unless the lease is renewed.

Notice of Intention to enter
(maintenance)

Pet Agreement,Waterbed agreements,Lead disclosures, Asbestos disclosures

A whole other slew of forms for when the time comes to vacate.

Welcome to being a landlord in California.

Now I'm sure other posters will say they never used these and all's fine. But it only takes one savvy tenant with a good lawyer to screw you over and maybe even cause you to lose your investment.

Rent the movie Pacific Heights. it is not fictional to California landlords.

I really don't mean to scare you or discourage you but I do hope you will learn first and rent out later. A good knowledgeable landlord protects all landlords and their investments. A poor one makes it difficult for all of us.

Ditto everything that Wildchild said.

I live in CA and have owned both commercial and residential properties that I leased/rented. The number one rule is you need to protect yourself and your investment. I wouldn't have a real estate agent write a contract for you, but seeking the advice of an attorney is well worth it. It was the best thing I ever did.

Good luck!

ritamay, I have been a landlord for over 20 years. Let me start off with a word of warning:BRACE YOURSELF. TENANTS ARE CERTAINLY AN AREA WHERE CAN NOT JUDGE A BOOK BY IT COVER. Prepare to separate your emotions from your parents home, as no one will ever care for your home as you would.
Also most tenants know how the to "work the system" when it comes to evictions. the "wheels of justice" during an eviction turn verrrrry slow. It can take you anywhere from 3-6 months to get you house back from a non-paying tenant. And forget about ever collecting any past rent and most states have provisions that allow the tenant more breaks when it comes to resources from which to get your money. I will highly recommend a few things that I have found useful and have keppt my headaches to a minmum: the National tenant network (NTNonline.com)is an online soucre that will will due a crimminal sex offender and credit check for a small fee. (I pay $9.00 here in NC). require the tenant pay the non refundable fee for these services. Include in your lease these items: Proff of tenant insurance, a separate signed statement regarding the functioning of smoke detectors and a statement that you will inspect the property, after giving written notice, every 6 months. If you don't care enough to do this, you will regret it later.