First time renting a house from landlord: What to check?

[Rajesh Kumar]

Hi,

We are first-timers renting a house from a landlord (in the past we have rented apartments from rental communities/apartment complexes). It's first time for the landlord also. They had asked for our information for background check and after verification they have agreed to lease their house.

What should we check before signing the lease (Since we are in NM state, crime rates/frauds are high here).

some concerns:
1. We googled out landlords name and some background check sites shows 5+ criminal records on his name. We have to pay $20 to get full information. Does it make sense to pay and check? Is it relevant in this decision?
2. Can we ask copy of their ID or proof of house ownership?

We will get copy of lease tomorrow before signing. They are asking 1 month rent as deposit, which I guess is normal. What else should be in the lease contract (eg about repairs, etc?). What are the normal terms if we want to break the lease for buying our own house?

Thanks!