Your best defense is to RTFC - Read the full contract, the FAR-BAR contract for sale of real estate (whichever one was used), and any agreement with the buyer or seller.

For instance, yesterday we were all walking over to the local park for a picnic and I got a call on my cell phone (google voice number) from someone at the car wash who put quarters in the vacuum, but the vacuum didn't turn on.

Whatever you do, begin looking for someone to represent you in whichever market you choose.

Cell phones make this so easy now days.  

There are some programs that may allow alternate credit like utility bills, cell phone.  

. - Ask for the cincinnati port authority grant- from whichever lender you use, that grant paid my entire down payment so all I came to the closing table with for a $175k house was $3200 in closing costs - To qualify you must have 700 credit score and not make over $100k.  

If you give them your cell phone number, they will text you at all hours.

Insurance companies, banks, cellphone companies, and yes landlords will always have late pays no matter the amount of screening your doing,  it is statistically impossible to have zero late pays.

@Scott Carrillo I do that in Cleveland: $1K to find, research and buy a property on Sheriff sale, $500 for repeating clients who I'm managing the property.Rehab usually takes 10% or $2K whichever higher.

Put up your own rental ad on postlets dot com , get a google voice number to bounce to your cell phone, us the google voice number in your ads.