All Forum Posts by: Laura Stayton

Hi everyone,

I am new to the rental business and just purchased my first rental property. I want to make sure I screen tenants properly, but I am not sure where to start.

-What steps should I take to screen tenant applications?

-How do you conduct background checks, and which services do you recommend?

-What key criteria should I use to evaluate tenants (e.g., credit score, income, rental history)?

-What are the best ways to attract more quality rental applications?

Any advice or resources would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

During our pre-scheduled quarterly inspections, most of our tenants just go about their usual activities—cooking, watching TV, working, etc.—and don’t get in the way. However, we’ve had some different behavior from a newer tenant couple. The husband follows my husband around, and the wife closely trails me throughout the house. This doesn’t really interfere with the inspection, just makes it longer, but I can’t help but wonder if it’s a sign that they’re trying to distract us from something they might be hiding. Has anyone else experienced this or found it to be a red flag?

My tenants just notified me that their unit got broken into and money was stolen. This is a first for me, so I'm not sure whether there's a protocol or this isn't my responsibility. Any advice?

Wish I didn’t have to post this but I am torn on what to do. I bought my first rental in June of 2024 and have had a tenant that has been making late payments since day 1. I have been trying to be understanding but it has been pushing too much. 

My goal was to just take his month late payments and give him a non-renewal when his lease is up. At this point though it is almost February and he still has yet to be December and January. 

What are the best courses of action here? I have sent multiple 14-day possible eviction notices and still nothing. Tenant is profusely sorry and stays in contact, but that does not pay the mortgage. Any advice would be much appreciated thank you. 

I have a single family house in Detroit (I'm out of state) for past few years. This october the tenant left without warning and house went vacant. Repairs were needed and were finished by early december. Now the house has been sitting vacant for over one month despite PM putting it on zillow and other sites.

I'm curious, at what point does this reflect poorly on PM and suggest I should get antoher PM? On that note, any good PMs anyone would recommend in Detroit area?

Also concerning, I just looked at zillow post and the pictures are very grainy and unflattering, even though they should have access to the nicer photos (I have had these for years, see below)..

I've also been getting lots of calls form companies wanting me to sell my house. Anyone familiar with PMs who collude with house-hunting companys to purposefully make me more inclined to sell?

The picture they have on Zillow vs one of the several I have with the same view:

Is it just my location or are a great majority of rental listings on Facebook Scams. A quick check of new listings results in many listing that seem well below market rates. Googling the address shows Zillow listings at market rent or MLS listings. The listing parties all seem to have 2024 accounts. I

I recently bought a home in Avon park Fl. The rent in that area goes for 1500-1600. I have mine for 1800, I’ve been receiving a lot of attention on and people have been touring it a lot, however no one has finally made the next steps to move in. Should I drop the price to 1700? I’ve had the home listed for about 30 days now 

I have one in Brownsburg that is similar, but there is a house and a converted garage on the same property.  I estimate high of what the bill would be and put it on their lease, I have not had any issues this way and if the water bill goes up, I will increase on the next lease.  Here is my simple wording.  

"In addition, a fee of $40 is added per month for shared utility of water, sewer, and trash.

 I do have the utilities clause on my lease: 

12. Utilities.Tenant agrees to pay for all utilities connected to the property such as sewer, cable, television, telephone, water, steam, gas, waste, trash, or electricity. Failure to transfer utilities will result in utilities disconnection by the Landlord within 2 days from the start of lease. Landlord shall be responsible for paying any Homeowners Association(HOA) dues and property taxes for the Property.

I was wondering if I should add a additional rent clause for the sewer just so I have my base covered in case tenant try to get "smart" with the lease.

Hello BP members, So I have a property in Camby, Indiana where sewer is managed by the Tri-County Conservancy District which is billed separately (flat $64 per month) and can't be transferred into the Tenant's. I was wondering if anyone here have a clause they use to bill the tenant the sewer utility as some form of additional rent.