THe prospective tenant provides their driver's license and other info and you can give them a code (if you have a smart lock w/ Wifi) that they can use and you can change afterwards.

Your strategy of learning more DIY skills is especially smart in Northern Virginia, where contractors are not cheap!

And if he does by some stroke of unbelievably bad luck he does get cited for contracting with no license, if he is smart he will simply tell the district attorney to stick it up his butt.

I'm not trying to be smart, but my direct advice would be to keep a little info to yourself.  

Staying sharp with courses or classes not only helps you stay out of trouble but also shows you’re serious about being fair.Ask the Experts: When you're not sure what to do, talking to a lawyer who knows about real estate can really help calm your nerves and make sure you're doing everything right.Use Smart Tools: Think about using a service that checks tenants for you.

Selling your house could be SMART if you have a healthy capital gain.

Get your paperwork ready and get prequalified - start by having coversations with lenders and ASK ANY QUESTION you have (don't worry if you think it doesn't sound "smart") so that you get familiar with language terms and common questions they have.

As long as you’re careful and track them and pay them off : )  Would it be smart just to get a card that I barely spend on just to improve my credit? 

You can in fact use the rents to qualify to help get a higher purchase price approved.You are smart to be cautious because it will cost you money to start the mortgage process, pay for an appraisal, inspection etc.

It's a smart way to leverage your living expenses to build wealth and gain valuable experience in property management.