"Accidental Landlord" in Pasadena, MD (spin-off from Intro forum)

[David L.]

Background - Full post here:
https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/55/topics/91574-accidental-landlord-in-pasadena-md

I own a SFH in Pasadena, MD that my wife and I purchased at the top of the bubble in the Spring of 2007. Built in 1979, and no updates since, it appears. I've put a lot of money and time into this house over the last few years.

We are having a new house built in PA and should be moving up there at the end of summer if everything goes according to schedule.

As for this house, I'm pretty certain that we are far too upside-down to even bother selling at this time, so I'm going to be looking to rent it out. I figure I will have all my remodeling done just in time to move out so someone else can enjoy my hard work. Figures, right?

I really don't know even where to begin, so I have a lot of reading ahead of me. I had one local realtor stop by to talk with me and give me a run-down on what she could do for me. Basically advertise/screen/paperwork/get the house rented for the cost of one month's rent.

I still have a lot of work left before I feel the house is "move-in ready", but I'm hacking away at it day by day. It would probably be easiest if I had her take care of everything for me on this go-round. If I did, I guess my biggest problem at this point is at what point should I start showing the house? It would be impossible to wait until everything is at 100%.

I need to research "what renters are looking for" in a house and at least focus my early efforts on that so there are no big red flags or sore thumbs sticking out.