In the world of property rental, real estate agents working with independent investors often face the challenge of finding the right tenant. This process involves several steps, from advertising the property, receiving applications, to screening potential tenants. The tenant screening process is crucial, as it helps agents and investors avoid potential problems down the line. With the rise of digital platforms, this process has become easier and more efficient. One such platform is Smartmove, which offers a comprehensive credit and background check for agents and investors to lease with confidence. However, it's not the only player in the game. In this post, we'll explore four alternatives to SmartMove that offer similar services.

Clara: A Quick Overview 📝
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Clara is a digital rental application and screening platform that provides a seamless experience for all parties involved. This innovative platform collects, consolidates, and secures application information to assist renters in finding their ideal homes, while also aiding landlords in identifying their ideal renters. By streamlining the rental process, Clara ensures that all necessary details are efficiently managed and safeguarded.

• Digital Rental Application: This feature allows landlords to create and share an online application with potential renters.
• Credit History: Clara provides a TransUnion credit report summary that includes a renter's credit score, total credit lines, collections, and more.
• Background Checks: Clara conducts an eviction search, along with an extensive criminal history search.
• Identity and Income Verification: Clara partners with Plaid, a security and encryption tool, to verify identification documents, phone numbers, name, date of birth, ID numbers, and more.
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Clara is free for landlords, with a $45 applicant fee.
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RentPrep: A Comprehensive Screening Service 🕵️‍♂️
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RentPrep is another platform that offers tenant screening services. Its key features include:
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• Background Check Packages: These packages include Judgments & Liens Search, Bankruptcies Search, National Eviction Search, National U.S. Criminal Search, U.S. Sex Offender Search, & Global Homeland Search.
• Credit Checks: RentPrep offers a Credit Decision Report that gives an approximation of the tenant's credit score.
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The pricing for RentPrep starts at $21 for a background check, with add-ons available for additional fees.
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AAOA: A User-Friendly Alternative 🖥️
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AAOA (American Apartment Owners Association) is a platform that allows landlords to access tenant information and purchase reports.
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• Tenant Verification: AAOA emails the tenant a unique link so that they can verify their identity and release the credit report to the landlord.
• Credit Report: Landlords can receive a full credit report and score in the form of a traditional FICO report, ResidentScore, VantageScore or NRS.
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The pricing for AAOA packages ranges from $19.95 to $49.95 each.
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eRenter: A Comprehensive Package 📦
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eRenter offers several features that make it a worthy alternative.
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• Eviction Reports: E-Renter uses a 50-state evictions database.
• Rent Check Advisor: This feature recommends whether you should accept rent checks from prospective residents.
• Social Security Number Verification: E-Renter’s verification system issues a report with a result from the Social Security Administration of “valid” or “invalid.”
• Credit Checks: E-Renter offers full credit reports that include FICO scores.
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The pricing for eRenter starts at $21.95 per report, with different packages available.
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Next Steps 🚀
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Now that you have a clearer understanding of the alternatives to Smartmove, you can make an informed decision about which tenant screening service best fits your needs. Choosing the right tenant is critical and can significantly simplify your responsibilities as an agent. A thorough screening process can help you avoid potential issues and ensure a smoother rental experience. Take the necessary time to evaluate each applicant carefully, considering all the relevant factors. By doing so, you will be better positioned to select a tenant who is reliable and responsible.

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Learn more about how to use Clara in your real estate business here.

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