When it comes to finding a new tenant, it’s essential for landlords to carry out all kinds of checks if they want to find a good one – someone who looks after the property and doesn’t fall behind on the rent.

Rather than carrying out intensive credit checks and chasing up references, a number of landlords in New York have hit onto a more novel idea, according to the New York Times. They use a psychic property manager instead!

 

Joan Baker is a property manager with a difference – she gazes into her crystal ball before deciding if anyone is worthy of lodging in one of her properties.

“It’s not just a feeling I have, it’s something else, like a physical reaction. I can see exactly what would happen if they were allowed to move in,” she explains.

Baruch Herzfeld is one property owner who is clearly impressed with Baker’s mystical talents. He said: “I don’t know if she’s psychic or just lucky or just knows how to read people, but I’ve never once had a problem with anyone she has chosen.”

Identifying someone who is going to be a good tenant has been a thorn in the side of landlords for centuries. While credit checks are easy enough to carry out, having a good score is no guarantee that the person in question will be a desirable tenant.

 

But what to do if you’re not psychic? Clearly we don’t all have Mrs Baker’s intuitive abilities, and as much as we think we can read people, we all make mistakes when judging a person’s character.

The answer is that credit checks aren’t the be all and end all of it. As Baker says, it’s necessary to screen prospective tenants well, by subjecting them to a thorough interview and checking with previous landlords.

One thing to bear in mind, says Baker, is that what with so many foreclosures around, having bad credit doesn’t mean someone won’t pay on time.

In fact, “Someone is more likely to pay on time to repay your faith in them when you give them a chance, despite their bad credit rating,” says Baker.