Tenant Screening Services & Process
How we diligently verify every applicant to protect your property,
your income, and your peace of mind.
Placing the right tenant is the single biggest lever you have.
Every rental decision carries risk. A tenant who stops paying, damages a unit, or has to be removed through the
courts doesn’t just cost money — it costs time, attention, and often months of lost income while a case works its
way through the legal system. The most effective way to avoid that outcome isn’t a better lease clause or a faster
eviction filing after the fact. It’s a screening process that catches the warning signs before a lease is ever signed.
CMC Realty & Property Management built its screening process around that principle. Rather than relying on a
single data point — a credit score, a gut feeling from a showing, or a quick call to one reference — we verify an
applicant from multiple independent angles: their credit and financial behavior, their criminal and eviction history,
their income and employment, and their track record with previous landlords. Each angle on its own can be
misleading. Together, they build a complete, accurate picture of how an applicant is likely to behave as a tenant.
What a Weak Screening Process Costs You
• Lost rental income while a problem tenant is in default, in the eviction process, or a unit sits vacant during
turnover and re-screening.
• Legal and administrative costs associated with the eviction process, including court filings and the time
required to manage the case.
• Property damage that a diligent rental history check might have flagged in advance, based on how an
applicant treated previous units.
• Fair housing exposure that comes from screening applicants inconsistently, rather than against the same
documented criteria every time.
• Disruption to other residents in multi-unit properties, where one problem tenant can affect the experience
— and retention — of everyone else in the building.
Screening is where all of that risk is either caught or missed. CMC’s process is designed to catch it.
Our Standard
Every applicant — regardless of the property, the owner, or how quickly a unit needs to be filled — is
measured against the same written, documented criteria. That consistency is what makes the process both
fair to applicants and protective of owners.
Six checks, one clear decision.
Every application that comes through CMC is reviewed against the same six-part standard. No single check is
treated as disqualifying on its own — each one adds context that, together, tells us whether an applicant is likely
to pay on time, take care of the property, and be a good neighbor.
1. Credit & Financial History
A full credit report review, including payment history, outstanding debt, and prior collections tied to housing. This is often the clearest early signal of how an applicant manages financial obligations over time.
2. Criminal Background
A multi-jurisdiction criminal record search, applied consistently to every applicant and in line with fair housing guidance, so the same standard is used for everyone who applies.
3. Eviction History
A nationwide search of eviction filings and unlawful-detainer records, used to flag past landlord disputes early — before they become an owner’s problem.
4. Income & Employment Verification
Direct verification of current employment and income against a clear rent-to-income threshold, confirming an applicant can actually afford the unit they’re applying for.
5. Rental History References
Direct outreach to prior landlords to confirm payment history, notice given, and the condition of the property at move-out — information no credit report can provide.
6. Identity & Compliance Review
Identity verification paired with a compliance check against AB 1482, Fair Housing requirements, and local screening ordinances, so every file is both accurate and legally sound.
From application to move-in.
Screening only works if it’s applied the same way, every time. CMC follows the same four-step sequence for
every applicant, on every property we manage.
1. Application Submitted
The prospective tenant completes our online application and signs a screening authorization, giving CMC
permission to pull the reports required to evaluate the file.
2. Reports Pulled
Credit, criminal, eviction, and identity reports are ordered through our licensed screening partner — the same
source and standard for every applicant.
3. Verification Calls
Our team confirms income, employment, and rental references directly with prior landlords and employers. This
step depends on how quickly those parties respond, which is why it’s the main driver of overall turnaround time.
4. Decision & Lease
The owner receives a clear recommendation, measured against the same documented criteria used for every
applicant, and CMC prepares the lease so move-in can proceed without delay.
Typical turnaround is 2–5 business days, contingent on how quickly previous landlords and employers respond
to our verification requests. We provide status updates throughout so owners always know where a file stands.
Screening built for owners, not just applicants.
Since 2005, CMC Realty & Property Management has placed tenants across 18+ Southern California markets.
Our screening standards are the same ones we apply to our own owned properties — we hold every file to the
standard we’d want used on our own investments.
Consistent, written criteria — Every applicant is measured against the same documented standard — reducing
risk and disputes.
Fair Housing & FCRA compliant — Our process is reviewed against current federal, state, and local
fair-housing requirements.
Local market knowledge — Two decades managing Southern California rentals means we know what red flags
actually matter here.
Transparent turnaround — Most screenings wrap up in 2–5 business days — the exact pace depends on how
quickly previous landlords and employers respond — with status updates along the way.
2005
Serving Southern California
since
18+
Markets managed across the
region
2–5 Days
Turnaround, pending
verification
FCRA
& Fair Housing compliant
process
Have a property to fill?
Talk to our team about screening your next applicant or managing the whole leasing process — from
marketing the vacancy through move-in.