Choosing renters for the first time

[Laura N.]

Hearing horror stories of getting bad renters out and the damages they do to the home, I'm intimidated to rent out my home and proceed with buying a new home to live in and update.  Those who have had experience, were there signs at the beginning that you may not have chosen a good tenant, or is it a complete gamble and you just don't know what you're going to get.  What are the best ways to insure getting good tenants who will pay rent and who will not ruin the home?