The rental market is competitive, and landlords often have their pick of several qualified applicants for their property. Landlords aren’t interested only in how much money they can get for their property.

They want good tenants – tenants who they believe will be prompt with their rental payments, take responsibility for good care of the property, and won’t cause problems with the neighbors.

How can you position yourself against a field of qualified renters, all willing to pay the asking price?

First impressions count. When initially contacting a prospective landlord, whether it is via email or phone, be professional. Think of your rental application in the same way you would think of a job application. If writing, use proper sentences and grammar. Use a spell-checker.

The property owner may get several emails inquiring about the property, and is more likely to respond to a well-written message. Consider carefully what email address you use. If your usual email address for corresponding with friends is This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , set up a new gmail account specifically for your rental search.

Similarly, record a professional sounding voice mail. “You’ve reached (09) 333-1234. Please leave a message.” will be received much better than “Party central! Woo-hoo! Leave a message or just come over…and bring drinks!!!”

When meeting the landlord in person, consider how you look. Dress well. I’m not suggesting that you put on an Armani suit, but a button-down shirt might be a better idea than your ripped Ozzfest ’99 t-shirt. If you smoke, do whatever you can to eliminate cigarette smell before your meeting. Many landlords, even if they allow smoking in the rental property, would prefer to rent to a non-smoker.

Come prepared, with a complete application package. Run a credit report on yourself, and bring a copy with you – dated within the past 30 days. Often, a landlord may waive or reduce the application fee if you provide the credit report for them. Bring along copies proof of your income – copies of your last 2 paystubs for the past 2 years.

If you are self-employed, bring copies of your tax returns for the past 2 years, and bank statements for the past 3 months. Bank statements are also useful in showing that you have cash reserves, and can cover the first month’s rent and security deposit.

Type up the names and contact information of your last 2 landlords, assuming that they will provide a good reference for you. The more information you can provide, the more responsible you will appear, the less work the landlord will have to do to qualify you for the property, and the better your chances will be of being offered the property.

An open, upfront, professional relationship between tenant and landlord, starting even before the first meeting, will set both parties up for a good long-term rental experience.