I am using a paid background check and call employer, current landlord.  

Assessors often employ what is called Mass Appraisal, while a licensed appraiser is going to be specific to your property.

Hi James,There are products and procedures you can employ which comply with the Texas statute.

I do need to find a rockstar lender, especially now that I am self employed with no w-2 income and my wife stays at home with the kids.

Don’t worry, you were alarmed by either bad, misleading, early analysis or maybe just click-bait.

My practice is mostly in the area of RE (State Board of Legal Specialization is the only authority that can permit a lawyer to say they "specialize" in an area of law, which requires fees, exams, and a "pretty pretty please".)Attorney fees are based on several factors that have been thoroughly litigated:(1) the time and labor required, the novelty and difficulty of the questions involved, and the skill required to perform the legal service properly; (2) the likelihood that the acceptance of the particular employment will preclude other employment by the lawyer; (3) the fee customarily charged in the locality for similar legal services; (4) the amount involved and the results obtained; (5) the time limitations imposed by the client or by the circumstances; (6) the nature and length of the professional relationship with the client; (7) the experience, reputation, and ability of the lawyer or lawyers performing the services; and (8) whether the fee is fixed or contingent on results obtained or uncertainty of collection before the legal services have been rendered.Like other professionals that are free to set a market rate, we gauge the highest wage that the market will bear. 

Cater to your market; I provide a kegorator, pellet gun and bird bait in one of my STRs.

These screening services need to access government records to find out if anyone has been evicted.I wonder if Tellus actually has people who call to verify income and employment.

It also appears that Zillow could very soon employ agents to list/show properties and almost act as an unbiased third party, ensuring the interests and transparency of both sides and thereby eliminating buyer's agents.  

Neither the buyer or seller are the employers of the appraiser, nor do they own the report or the contents or the pictures that were taken.Merely sounds like people getting upset and enraged just to be upset and enraged, which seems all too common these days.