@Mark Ainley and @Brie Schmidt are more experienced than I am and may have other good thoughts on tenant screening.

It is increasingly common for a PM to charge a "leasing fee" which covers all the costs of marketing, showing, screening, placing tenant under contract, collecting deposit and rent, setting up utilities, getting the tenant placed, etc.If the PM can't justify the cost, then they shouldn't be charging it.

So, the first question they usually ask a PMC is about fees - instead of asking about services and HOW those services are executed.EXAMPLE: PMC states they will handle tenant screening – what does that specifically mean?

Learn in the field, not on a screen.3.

Go to BUILD YOUR TEAM at the top of the screen and look for local investors or meetups in your area.

More of a simple screening tool, and at least I have some kind of idea for who to go after if there are damages of fraud. 

If you hire an agent, recommend you still process applications and do your own screening to avoid conflict of interest issues.If you hire a PMC, make sure you ask a LOT of questions about their screening procedures, to make sure you get a tenant you want.

So, the first question they usually ask a PMC is about fees - instead of asking about services and HOW those services are executed.EXAMPLE: PMC states they will handle tenant screening – what does that specifically mean?

Go to BUILD YOUR TEAM at the top of the screen and look for local investors or meetups in your area.

Any thoughts on tenant screening, and what I could be doing to make sure I get good longterm tenants ?