Dallas Property Management Blog

How to Lease a Property in Fort Worth

Whether you’re moving across town or relocating from across the country, moving can produce a lot of anxiety. When you work with Specialized Property Management, we do everything we can to ensure a smooth and pleasant rental experience for every resident. Today, we want to review our leasing process so you know what to expect when you’re moving into a Fort Worth rental home that we manage.

Finding a Fort Worth Property You Love

If you’re like most tenants, you are looking for a rental home that matches your budget and your lifestyle. Perhaps you want to find a single-family home in a residential neighborhood, a modern apartment downtown, or a condo that promises low-maintenance living. We have a wide range of rental properties that you can view on our website. You’ll also see our available properties on other rental websites that Fort Worth tenants use.

We invite you to scroll through our properties and sort by price, number of bedrooms, or neighborhood. You can read our descriptions and check out the photos we have posted online. If you have pets, you’ll want to know if they’re allowed, and you can also access information on rental amount and available move-in dates. This doesn’t have to be stressful; take your time and compare what you find to your list of things that you need and want in a home. Think about why you’re moving and what you are hoping to find in a new neighborhood or a new property. Consider the type of life you want to have. You might want something that’s in a good school district, or a city apartment with parking. Maybe you’re looking for a large yard or an easy commute to work.

Once you have found a property or two that meet your needs, you can schedule a time to see them. We make it easy for you to visit and tour properties on your own schedule and timeline. We’re also available to ask any questions you might have before or after the showing. We always value feedback from prospective tenants, so let us know what you think about the properties after you visit them.

The Application Process for Fort Worth Tenants

You never know when a property will be rented by another tenant, so when you see a home that you love, fill out an application right away! We have an online application which is easy to complete. Just go to the property listing on our website and click the button that says apply online next to your desired listing. There, you’ll see instructions for how to complete the application. You’ll also be asked to upload some important supporting documentation.

You need to know that all occupants 18 years of age or older are required to complete an application. Each application also requires the payment of an application fee. This fee covers the cost of our paperwork and our screening process. We need to know who will be living at the home, and we need to do tenant screening.

As you’re filling out your application and preparing to submit it, you will be asked to provide three additional items to help us complete your application screening. These items are generally required by any rental application, and we can help you upload the required documents online.

The documents we will ask for include:

  • We will need a photocopy of your driver’s license. This helps us to confirm your identity and match the information to the information we find on the other documents you provide. It also helps us to complete the necessary criminal checks, background checks, and credit checks.
  • We will ask for your most recent paystub. This is necessary so we can verify the combined gross income of all the adults living in the property for which you’re applying. Our standards are simple and consistent. We require that the total income is at least three times the amount of your monthly rent. So, if the rent on the property you like is $1,200, that means you’ll need a monthly income that is at least $3,600.
  • Finally, we also need the correct contact information for your current landlord. This is an important part of verifying the last two years of your rental history. We will talk to your current and former landlords about whether you paid rent on time, left any property damage, and followed the terms of your lease agreement.

You’ll want to start packing right away, so we work quickly to get you approved. Please give us two full business days to complete the screening process. We want to be thorough so we can identify the best reliable tenants to put in our properties.

How to Sign Your Lease and Pay Your Deposit

After we have approved your application, we will contact you to schedule an in-office lease explanation and signing. This is where you can review the details of your lease with our experienced agents. We will go over our expectations, answer any questions you may have, and discuss the responsibilities of tenants and property managers. You can request clarification on anything that doesn’t make sense, and we will make sure you understand how to pay rent, how to request maintenance, and what you can expect when we inspect the property.

When you come to our office to sign the lease, please bring the full security deposit with you, as well as any applicable pet deposits. You’ll need to bring this money in the form of a cashier’s check or a money order. You will also need to bring a separate cashier’s check or money order to pay for our administration fee. This fee pays for us to set up your account and provide you with access to your online tenant portal. This tenant is important to your rental experience; you’ll use it to pay rent, request repairs, and keep in touch with your management team.

Your payment should be made to Specialized Property Management. At this meeting, you can also pay your first month’s rent. We cannot stress the importance of coming to the lease signing as soon as possible after you have been approved for the property you select. The home will remain on the market until the lease is fully executed, so don’t delay this meeting. We want you to sign the lease and begin making preparations for your new home.

After you sign your lease, you will settle on a move-in date and receive instructions on how to transition into your new home. We’ll ask you to pay the first full month’s rent payment before you move into the home. We’ll be happy to collect your payment when you sign the lease, or you can pay online through the tenant portal on our website. Our tenants love the efficiency of paying rent online, and it’s both safe and convenient.

Preparing to Move into Your New Fort Worth Rental Home

Now that we have discussed and signed the lease, the only thing you have to do is pack up and move into your new home. During the process of moving and turning on utilities, we are here to answer any questions you have and offer any advice that might help you. We can provide resources about the neighborhood if you’re looking for the right school or trying to figure out how far the grocery store is.

Our next step is to carefully document the condition of your home before you move in. We will ensure everything is clean and all the systems and appliances are working. If, during your own inspection, you notice that something is not right or needs attention, let us know. We’ll do everything we can to ensure your property is safe, comfortable, and a place you’re happy to call home. We document its condition because it’s important that you return the property to us in the same condition at the end of your tenancy.

You’ll be provided with all of our contact information, including our emergency telephone number in case you need help after hours.

Our goal is to ensure your application and leasing process is not overwhelming and stressful. When you make an effort to follow our instructions and ask us questions, you’ll have a much easier time transitioning into one of our rental homes.

We love our jobs, and it’s our pleasure to provide outstanding rental properties to superb tenants like you. For more on your responsibilities and expectations during the lease period, talk to one of our property managers, and check your tenant portal for important information and announcements. We believe that communication is important, and we know that it’s a big part of providing an outstanding rental experience for you.

contractThank you for choosing Specialized Property Management. We look forward to providing you with a leasing experience you’ll enjoy, and we welcome you to your new home. Enjoy getting to know your neighbors and your new community, and let us know if there is anything we can do to help make it better. If you have any questions or any concerns, don’t hesitate to contact us at Specialized Property Management in Fort Worth.

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