How to Find Good Tenants in Central New York

Finding Good Tenants Takes More Than a Zillow Listing

Every landlord wants reliable tenants who pay on time, take care of the unit, and stay for years. Finding them requires work. Posting a listing and waiting is not a strategy. You need to market the unit properly, screen aggressively, and verify everything applicants tell you.

Here is what actually works for finding quality tenants in the Central New York rental market.

Where to Advertise Your Rental

Cast a wide net. No single platform reaches every renter. Use multiple channels simultaneously.

Zillow and Apartments.com

These are the two biggest rental listing sites. Zillow feeds to Trulia and HotPads automatically. Apartments.com has strong traffic in mid-sized markets. Both offer free basic listings. The paid options increase visibility but are not always necessary in the CNY market where inventory moves reasonably well.

Facebook Marketplace

This is where a huge percentage of renters in Syracuse, Oswego, and Auburn look first. It is free, the reach is local, and the messaging is instant. Post with good photos, clear pricing, and the key details (beds, baths, rent, pet policy, availability date). Local Facebook groups for housing and apartments are also worth posting in.

Craigslist

Still active in Central New York, particularly for lower-price-point rentals. It attracts a different audience than Zillow. Expect more inquiries to sort through, but the volume means faster fills. Repost every few days to stay near the top.

Yard Signs

Do not underestimate a “For Rent” sign on the property. In CNY neighborhoods, a sign generates calls from people who already know and want to live in that area. They work especially well in desirable neighborhoods in Syracuse (Eastwood, Westcott, Strathmore) and in smaller communities like Auburn and Utica where people drive the streets looking for rentals.

Professional Listing Photos Matter

Bad photos kill listings. Dark, blurry, cluttered photos tell prospective tenants you do not care about the property. If you do not care, why should they?

You do not need a professional photographer. A smartphone with good lighting works fine. Clean the unit thoroughly before photos. Open all blinds and turn on every light. Shoot from doorways to capture full rooms. Take at least 10-15 photos covering every room, the kitchen, the bathroom, and the exterior.

A listing with 15 bright, clean photos gets 3-4 times the inquiries of a listing with 3 dark, blurry ones. This is the easiest multiplier in rental marketing.

Pricing It Right

Overpricing is the number one reason units sit vacant. Landlords set rent based on what they want to earn instead of what the market will pay. The market does not care about your mortgage payment or your renovation costs.

Check comparable listings on Zillow and Apartments.com. Look at units with similar bedrooms, bathrooms, square footage, and condition in the same neighborhood. Rentometer is another useful tool for quick comp checks.

In Central New York, the rental market varies significantly by location. A 2-bedroom in downtown Syracuse commands different rent than the same unit in Oswego or Utica. Know your local market. If your unit has been listed for 3 weeks with minimal interest, the price is too high.

Respond Fast to Inquiries

Speed wins in rental marketing. The best tenants are applying to multiple places simultaneously. If you take 2 days to respond to an inquiry, they have already scheduled showings with three other landlords and put a deposit down on their favorite.

Respond to every inquiry within 2-4 hours during business hours. Use a template response that answers common questions and offers showing times. A property management system can automate this so you never miss a lead.

Pre-Screen on the Phone Before Showing

Showing a unit takes time. Do not waste it on people who do not qualify. Before scheduling a showing, ask these questions on the phone or via message:

• When are you looking to move in?
• How many people will be living in the unit?
• What is your approximate monthly income?
• Do you have pets?
• Have you ever been evicted or broken a lease?
• Do you have any felonies? (You can ask this in New York, though you cannot blanket-deny based on criminal history alone.)

If the answers disqualify them based on your criteria, politely let them know. This saves both of you time.

What to Look for at the Showing

The showing tells you a lot if you pay attention. Did they show up on time? Is their car reasonably maintained? Do they ask thoughtful questions about the unit, the lease terms, and the neighborhood? Or do they just ask “when can I move in” without looking at anything?

Tenants who care about where they live ask about parking, laundry, storage, nearby grocery stores, and maintenance response times. Tenants who just need any roof ask none of these questions. Both types exist, and the first type generally takes better care of your property.

The Application Process

Every adult who will live in the unit fills out an application. No exceptions. The application should collect:

• Full legal name and date of birth
• Current and previous addresses (at least 2 years back)
• Current employer, position, and income
• Previous landlord contact information
• Authorization to run credit and background checks
• Emergency contact
• Vehicle information

Charge an application fee to cover the cost of screening. In New York, you can charge up to $20 per applicant for background and credit checks as of 2024. Keep receipts for the actual screening costs as you must provide them if the applicant requests.

Verify Everything

Income Verification

Require proof of income: two recent pay stubs, a tax return, or a bank statement showing regular deposits. The standard threshold is 3x the monthly rent in gross income. If rent is $1,200, household income should be at least $3,600/month.

Self-employed applicants are harder to verify. Ask for the most recent tax return and 3 months of bank statements. Look at the actual deposits, not the stated income on the application.

Rental History

Call every previous landlord. Not just the current one. The current landlord might give a glowing reference because they want the bad tenant gone. The landlord before that will tell you the truth.

Ask: Did they pay rent on time? Did they leave the unit in good condition? Would you rent to them again? Any lease violations? The “would you rent to them again” question is the most telling. A pause before answering tells you everything.

Background and Credit Checks

Run them on every applicant. Services like TransUnion SmartMove, RentPrep, and MyRental provide tenant-specific screening. Look at the credit score, but more importantly look at the details. Collections from previous landlords, utility shutoffs, and eviction filings matter more than a credit score number.

Red Flags

Watch for these warning signs during the application process:

• Frequent moves: Three or more addresses in two years suggests problems at each place.
• Unverifiable income: “I get paid cash” with no documentation is a risk.
• Bad or hostile references: If a previous landlord will not return your call, there is a reason.
• Urgency to move immediately: “I need to move in tomorrow” usually means they were just kicked out of somewhere.
• Reluctance to provide information: If they will not give you a previous landlord’s name or authorize a background check, move on.
• Offering to pay several months upfront in cash: This sounds great until you realize it is often used to bypass screening. In New York, you cannot collect more than first month’s rent and one month’s security deposit anyway.

Section 8 in the Central New York Market

Section 8 (Housing Choice Voucher) tenants are a significant part of the rental market in Syracuse, Oswego, Auburn, and Utica. In New York State, you cannot refuse to rent to someone solely because they use a housing voucher. Source of income is a protected class.

The pros: guaranteed portion of rent paid directly by the housing authority, annual inspections (they catch problems early), and lower turnover since voucher holders tend to stay longer. The cons: inspections can be strict (they may require repairs you have been deferring), the administrative process is slow, and the housing authority sets the maximum rent (Fair Market Rent) which may be below your asking price.

Screen Section 8 applicants the same way you screen everyone else. The voucher covers the housing authority’s portion. The tenant still needs to demonstrate they can pay their portion and pass the same background checks.

The Best Tenants Come From Systems, Not Luck

Good tenants do not fall into your lap. You find them by marketing effectively, pricing correctly, responding quickly, screening thoroughly, and verifying everything. Landlords who shortcut this process end up with problem tenants and wonder why.

If you own rental property in Syracuse, Oswego, Auburn, or Utica and want help finding and screening quality tenants, call RenPro Property Management at 315-400-2654. We handle the marketing, showings, screening, and placement so you get reliable tenants without the grind.