As the financial pressure quickly mounts to get the cash coming in from that empty unit, invariably, less than stellar choices are made, and the job becomes sooo much more difficult.  

To hear from those who started with less than stellar credit situations.

@Ricky ButlerThey were not low, but they also were not stellar.

My credit, income, debt-to-income is all stellar.  

that's why new construction here is so darn hot.. we are still shy 20k houses from what normal demand is .. and inmigration is still happening.. so you have builders like us selling everything before its done and like from 2017 to 2018 my exact same house I built and sold last year for 350k a door is selling for 430k a door and build cost only went up about 10k a door.. so for this year fingers crossed it going to be stellar to be a builder who has inventory.. and I bought the land 3 years ago at those prices. it all cycles.. but this cycle when it get to the end of this year and cash in..

If you get an inquiry from someone who has a less-than-stellar rental history screen them, then decide based on the screening report.

This is a terrible market for lack of cash and less than stellar credit.

I have a few there, but they arent stellar.  

Surprisingly many with service or emotional animals do not have stellar credit scores.

I funded 4 separate turn key operators form 04 to 08 when the world came crashing down on everyone.. why was I in MS when I my company was in Oregon, because one the returns were stellar and I just by random happened upon the market ...