Being a Great Landlord

Landlords

There's a difference between being a landlord and being a great landlord.  The better you run your rental properties the more money you will make. 

Screen your tenants

Don't just accept anyone who comes in to rent.  Check references, do basic background checks, check for evictions, credit check.  Make sure you look over all of the facts before agreeing to rent to a person.  You do not want just anyone.  If someone is hostile, defensive, rude, etc you may not want to get into a lease with them for example. 

Maintenance

Take care of your properties!! This is an investment and someone's home.  If your tenants don't get something fixed, they may try to do it themselves and cause a lot of expensive damage.  In addition to this, if your tenant isn't comfortable and happy, they won't stay and they won't refer you.

Don't give up

You will have struggles with everything from damaged property to unpaid rent.  You must stick to your contract and take care of your tenants and make sure they follow the contract.  You need to know what your rights are, what the laws are, and what the tenant's rights are. You must be prepared to take them to eviction court and you must make sure that you are compliant with the laws.