One way is to make sure you have a list of trusted service people for the various mechanicals of the home and if your tenant calls with trouble, you call the service person and get the ball rolling on the repair.

Also below are links about some Detroit's current funding and investment and where its going.Detroit to get $300 million in federal help - Sep. 27, 2013 - CNN Moneyhttp://money.cnn.com/2013/09/27/news/economy/detroit-federal-help/Ford Foundation donates money to help Detroit manage its federal grantshttp://michiganradio.org/post/ford-foundation-donates-money-help-detroit-manage-its-federal-grantsBill Pulte: From Home Builder to Detroit's Unlikely Blight Busterhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/joannmuller/2013/10/09/bill-pulte-detroits-unlikely-blight-buster/Gilbert: Tear Down All Of Detroit’s Abandoned Homes At Oncehttp://detroit.cbslocal.com/2013/10/01/gilbert-tear-down-all-of-detroits-abandoned-homes-at-once/Plan to eliminate blight in Detroit may top $1 billion, task force sayshttp://www.freep.com/article/20131212/BUSINESS06/312120137/Detroit-blight-Quicken-GilbertDetroit bankruptcy judge orders company to stop collecting casino revenue (Access to about $180 million a year that was flowing to creditors from its casinos)http://whtc.com/news/articles/2013/aug/29/detroit-bankruptcy-judge-orders-company-to-stop-collecting-casino-revenue/http://www.freep.com/article/20130903/NEWS01/309030148/Kevyn-Orr-William-Buckfire-depositions-Detroit-bankruptcyFederal, Foundation, City and Corporate Investment Areas in Detroithttp://datadrivendetroit.org/web_ftp/Data_Mapping/InvestmentAreas.pdfThe Auto Industry Bailouthttp://useconomy.about.com/od/criticalssues/a/auto_bailout.htm

The interviews they have on the podcasts are insanely educational.Got a wife and 20month old and work as mechanical/manufacturing engineer, along with some IT work.

Maybe ask them to agree on a auto-direct deposit?

My automatic defense mechanism kicked in and I immediately said not interested.

Two of them have their bank mail it (one of them is set-up with auto-pay).

All our homes in the city are empty of the mechanicals and copper.

OK, could we PLEASE set aside these discussions of the mechanics of escrow and what title insurance means and focus on helping @Lauren Hardy with her deal?

This is an excerpt directly from myfico.com, "most credit scores are not affected by multiple inquiries from auto or mortgage lenders within a short period of time.

For one, the depreciable time period is longer than the life of mechanicals, roofs, and many other things.