And there are bad areas of the city From what I see now competition for single family houses is very stiff.  

The government says that there can be lead residues inside the old water heater that people may be exposed to and you cannot sell them without a stiff penalty.

We can do garnishments here, and I want tenants with something to lose if they stiff me.

I am not a white collar landlord therefor nobody stiffs me and walks away scot free. 

That seems really risky to me, as the penalties for landlords can be very stiff if lead paint is found on the premises, and especially if a tenant can prove they were harmed by it. 

Doing so increases the tenants ability to stiff you and put the money down as deposit on her next place.If she stays then I got the money earlier and if she gets evicted then i have gotten money that she otherwise wouldn't have paid.

The penalties are stiff and they accrue over time.

Laminate planks on the other hand are very stiff and if the floor isn't perfectly flat the laminate planks sound "clacky".  

He wasn't even smart enough to stiff me for my rent.

@Ned Carey Is it accurate that MD has both very high property taxes and you have to pay a stiff transfer fee when you sell?