Screening my first-ever tenant applicant! Advice?

[Franklin McGuire]

Hi everyone, I'm still a newbie to the forums and to REI in general, and this week I'm screening my first-ever applicants for an open bedroom in a house I've just started to manage for a family member. (I don't have the credit to buy my first property yet, so I figured making 10% as a property manager of this house would be a good way to get my feet wet.)

I'm planning to use a tenant screening application form/credit check/background check tool I found for free online that automates the entire process, and then — assuming the guy I'm talking to via craigslist passes those screenings — meet him at the property Sunday for a walk-through. Anyone have any tips/advice/horror stories/best practices they'd like to share as I walk into this process for the first time? THANKS!