On this episode of Closed!, Brad sits down with Tom DeRose, co-founder and CEO of PandaGuarantee, for a conversation on lease guarantees, renter qualification, landlord risk, and the changing realities of the New York rental market.
Tom explains how PandaGuarantee helps renters qualify for apartments when they may not meet a landlord’s traditional financial criteria, while also giving landlords additional protection against missed rent, tenant default, and the costs that can come with eviction. He breaks down how guarantor insurance works, who typically pays for it, how coverage is structured, and why an institutional guarantee can often be more reliable than chasing a personal guarantor across state lines.
The conversation also explores how PandaGuarantee underwrites applicants, handles claims, and works with both tenants and landlords throughout the process. Tom and Brad also discuss the rise of rental application fraud, including fake pay stubs, fabricated bank statements, false identities, and how AI is making fraudulent documents harder to spot. The episode offers a look at how lease guarantee products are evolving as housing costs rise, underwriting becomes more complex, and both renters and landlords look for better ways to manage risk.
To learn more about Tom DeRose and PandaGuarantee, visit pandaguarantee.com.
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