Operations Manual
Property Marketing & Leasing Procedure
Follow each step to prepare the property for marketing, create and publish the rental listing, coordinate inquiries and showings, process applications, and select a qualified tenant.
Pre-Marketing Repair & Readiness Verification
Before marketing begins:
- Review the repairs identified during the pre-acceptance inspection completed during Owner Onboarding.
- Visit the property after the owner reports the repairs are complete.
- Verify the agreed repairs were completed.
- Confirm the property is clean, safe, functional, habitable, and ready to show.
- Confirm utilities are on and required systems are working.
- Photograph and document any incomplete or remaining items.
- Notify the owner of anything that must still be corrected.
- Do not proceed until the property is approved for lockbox installation, photography, and marketing.
Note: This is not the formal pre-move-in inspection. That inspection is completed after a tenant is approved and before the tenant receives possession.
Self-Showing Lockbox Installed & Tested
- Install the approved electronic lockbox after the property is confirmed ready for showings/tours.
- Place it on a secure, stationary location near the main entrance, such as a fixed railing or approved door attachment.
- Keep it easy for an authorized prospect to locate without making it unnecessarily visible from the street.
- Never attach it to utility meters, pipes, gates needed for emergency access, landscaping, or movable objects.
- Follow HOA or community restrictions when applicable.
- Confirm the system verifies identity, issues a unique time-limited code, uses location verification (geo-tracking), and records access activity.
- Test the lockbox, key, door lock, and showing instructions before activation.
Standard or Premium Photography Completed
- Complete photography only after the property is clean, repaired, and ready to market.
- For Standard Photography, take the photos internally and use editing software to improve lighting, clarity, and overall quality.
- For Premium Photography, schedule an approved professional photographer.
- Photograph every interior room and important property feature.
- Capture the front, rear, and sides of the property, yard, garage, and street view.
- IMPORTANT: Review every photograph before publishing. Photos must remain neutral and must not show people, family portraits, religious displays, church-related materials, political materials, personal documents, or anything that could suggest a preference or limitation based on any Fair Housing protected characteristic. Remove or avoid photographing these items whenever possible.
- Photograph applicable community amenities, including pools, parks, playgrounds, clubhouses, and recreation areas.
- Review and organize all photographs before creating the rental listing.
- Do not edit photos in a way that misrepresents the property’s actual condition or features.
RentSpree Application & Screening Setup
Before creating the MLS listing, set up the property in RentSpree so its application link is ready to include in the MLS Private Remarks.
- Add or select the correct property in RentSpree.
- Confirm the property address and monthly rent.
- Set up the required rental application and tenant screening package.
- Generate the property-specific RentSpree application link.
- Open and test the link to confirm it displays the correct property.
- Save the link for use in the MLS Private Remarks, website, emails and text messages.
- Do not publish or syndicate the listing through RentSpree.
- Use RentSpree only for applications and tenant screening.
- Use ARMLS as the primary listing source for syndication to participating rental websites.
Once the application link has been tested and saved, proceed to the MLS listing.
Suggested Private Remarks In MLS:
APPLICATIONS: All adult occupants age 18 or older must submit a separate application through RentSpree. Apply here: [INSERT RENTSPREE LINK]. Applicants should review the Tenant Qualification Guidelines before applying: https://000property.com/tenant-qualification-guidelines/. Contact the listing agent with questions.
MLS Listing Published & Syndicated
After the property-specific RentSpree application link has been created and tested, prepare and publish the rental listing through ARMLS.
- Complete all required MLS property fields accurately.
- Confirm the list price, availability date, lease terms, deposits, fees, pet policy and showing instructions.
- Upload the approved professional photographs in the correct order.
- Write clear Public Remarks describing the property, features and rental terms.
- Do not place website links, application links, contact information or access codes in Public Remarks.
- Select RentSpree as the online tenant-screening provider, when available.
- Add the property-specific RentSpree application link and application instructions to Private Remarks.
- Include any cooperating-broker compensation exactly as authorized and state that compensation is negotiable.
- Review the entire listing for accuracy before publishing.
- Publish the listing through ARMLS and allow the MLS to syndicate it to participating rental websites.
- Do not separately publish the listing through RentSpree, Zillow, Apartments.com or another syndication service unless specifically approved. This helps prevent duplicate listings.
- Confirm the listing becomes active in ARMLS.
- Within 24–48 hours, verify that the listing appears correctly on major rental websites such as Zillow, Realtor.com, Redfin and Apartments.com.
- Check the rent, photos, description, contact information and property details on each major website.
- Save the MLS number and active listing link in the property file.
- Respond to direct tenant inquiries by providing the property-specific RentSpree application link and Tenant Qualification Guidelines.
Private Remarks Application Wording:
APPLICATIONS: All proposed occupants age 18 or older must submit a separate application through RentSpree. Apply here: [INSERT PROPERTY-SPECIFIC RENTSPREE LINK]. Applicants must review the Tenant Qualification Guidelines before applying: https://000property.com/tenant-qualification-guidelines/. Contact the listing agent with questions.
Listing Performance & Showing Activity Monitored DAILY
- Monitor listing views, saves, inquiries, emails, calls, showing requests, completed tours, cancellations, and applications daily.
- Confirm the self-showing system and lockbox remain operational.
- Respond promptly to prospective tenants and showing-access problems.
- Review feedback regarding price, condition, location, features, and qualification requirements.
- Compare activity against competing rental listings.
- Provide the owner with a weekly performance update.
- Recommend pricing, listing, photograph, or property-condition adjustments when activity is low.
- Obtain owner approval before changing the rent or other material terms.
- Document all owner decisions and update the MLS listing when changes are approved.
Applications Received, Screened & Applicant Selected
- Record applications in the order they become complete.
- Confirm that every adult applicant submitted the required application, identification, and supporting documents.
- Verify income, credit, rental history, eviction history, background results, and occupancy requirements.
- Evaluate every completed application consistently under the published Tenant Qualification Guidelines.
- When multiple completed applications are under review, compare applicants using the same lawful, objective criteria, including verified income, creditworthiness, rental history, and ability to meet the lease obligations.
- Select the most qualified applicant without considering any Fair Housing protected characteristic or undisclosed subjective preference.
- Provide the owner with a limited qualification and status summary when appropriate; do not disclose confidential screening reports unless authorized.
- Refer disputes, accommodation requests, exceptions, or unusual results to the Broker before making a final decision.
- Record the selection decision and preserve all application and screening records.
Selected Applicant Notified & Lease Completed
- Notify the selected applicant in writing of approval or conditional approval.
- Confirm the lease term, move-in date, monthly rent, deposits, fees, Resident Benefits Package, and any approval conditions.
- Confirm all adult tenants, minor occupants, animals, and vehicles before preparing the lease.
- Send the complete Residential Lease Package for signature.
- Require all tenants to sign the lease and submit all required deposits and move-in funds within 48 hours.
- Clearly state that approval does not secure the property until the lease is fully signed and all required funds are received.
- Keep qualified, non-selected applicants as backups during the 48-hour completion period.
- Notify backup applicants that another applicant was selected but that they may be contacted within 48 hours if the selected applicant does not complete the lease requirements.
- Send all non-selected or conditionally approved applicants any legally required notices, including an adverse-action notice when a consumer report influenced the decision.
- Document applicant communications, deadlines, signed documents, and payments in the property file.
- Once the lease is signed and all required funds are received, remove the property from active marketing and proceed to Tenant Onboarding.
