Securing legitimate deals is a great first step.

Update, confirmed with the city and it is legitimate if the property is in the name of the LLC, and the LLC is grandfathered in before restrictions were put into place.

Here’s what could be going on:✔ Legitimate Concern – Some tenants worry that HR inquiries might raise red flags with their employer, especially if they’re still in a probationary period.⚠ Fabricated Offer Letter or Pay Stubs – Unfortunately, fake employment documents are common, and verification through HR is one of the best ways to confirm legitimacy.⚠ Unstable Employment – They may have lost the job or never actually started, making verification impossible.⚠ Other Issues – They could be hiding something (evictions, unpaid rent history, or other financial instability).What You Can Do:✔ Ask for the official employment verification letter – Many HR departments provide standard verification letters upon request.✔ Verify pay stubs – Cross-check them with bank statements to confirm deposits match.✔ Call the employer directly – If HR is off-limits, ask for a manager’s contact instead.✔ Stick to a Consistent Screening Process – Fair Housing laws require uniform screening criteria, so making an exception for one applicant could lead to discrimination claims.

He seemed legitimate at first, and I even had a few friends look over the materials he provided.

If so you need to fall into the guidelines (for the investor whos funding it) regarding non arms length transactions.The most common scenarios they typically prohibit are:- Gifts of Equity- Bailouts- Leaseback OptionsAt the end of the day it needs to be a legitimate transaction, with legitimate funds coming into close.

Quote from @Vikas Jain: Yes, I have already seen the buy-in, im less concerned about that part of it, but just want to make sure its legitimate (plenty of opportunities where buyin is high but it doesn't always mean the product is good, just been burned in the past by others so trying to do better due diligence this time around)Their success rate, as of now, is 100 percent.

At this point, I'm not so concerned about achieving that exactly, but if my REI journey takes me there on my way to (or even after) financial freedom, then I'm all for it.There's still some work to do to prepare financially for "the first deal" and that moment legitimately appears to be about 2 years away. 

Unlike a foreclosure, a deed in lieu of foreclosure does not extinguish any of the liens and encumbrances affecting the property.Most courts recognize the execution of a deed in lieu of foreclosure in a transaction subsequent to the original mortgage transaction as a legitimate alternative to foreclosure proceedings.

Things like a website, an email at your domain and credible social accounts (even small things like a profile pic and bio) can show you are a legitimate business.

@Chris Magistrado,Legitimate buyers might request an inspection for due diligence.