Suburban, above average schools.

As long as they don't have history of aggression, I won't have the liability.

Focus on neighborhoods like Northeast Dallas (Richardson, Garland) for tech job proximity and great schools, or Oak Cliff (Bishop Arts District, Kiestwood) for gentrification and trendy appeal.

I would look for reviews on Zillow, Google Maps, Yelp, Experiance.com.To look up their license history you can use nmlsconsumeraccess.com, licensed and registered Loan Officers have to report a 10 year employment history.

Prohibiting a landlord from using criminal history prior to a conditional offer.We're seriously considering selling and buying in another state.

In Houston, you can either invest locally or explore strong Texas markets like San Antonio (affordable duplexes, strong job market), DFW suburbs (duplex-friendly zoning, growing economy), or Houston suburbs (Spring, Cypress, The Woodlands for good schools and tenant demand).

Verifying last 2 years of rental history very important!

With its rich history and revitalizing economy, the city offers unique opportunities for long-term growth.

If Oak Park allows STRs, leveraging that history could make the property stand out.That said, unless the home has been preserved as a landmark or has unique historical features, the value boost may be more about novelty than a significant price increase.

What documents do they require, what credit scores do they allow, how do they verify previous rental history, etc.?