(I don't have the credit to buy my first property yet, so I figured making 10% as a property manager of this house would be a good way to get my feet wet.)I'm planning to use a tenant screening application form/credit check/background check tool I found for free online that automates the entire process, and then — assuming the guy I'm talking to via craigslist passes those screenings — meet him at the property Sunday for a walk-through.

Sometimes getting the green light from the automated underwriting system is a matter of fiddling with it, documenting additional reserves (that checking account you haven't used in 6 years that still has $733 in it might make the difference, this is why we ask for bank statements for ALL accounts), lowering the interest rate, getting the insurance cost down, playing with the down payment a bit, etc.

To @Lucas Carl 's point, we automate messages using Airgms and get great feedback on our responsiveness and customer service.

I recommend you do the same unless you want to encourage this tenant that it is okay to make their problems into your problems.For the future, consider requiring ACH/auto-debit/Zelle or some other form of automated/electronic payment so "I couldn't get to the bank" is no longer a factor.

So I rent a sfh to 4 individual people and doing following to collect bills and utilities, any recommendations to make it automated or anything else for making it faster?

I get lots of automated responses from the Zillow prospects that either (a) ask questions that are clearly answered in the narrative, or (b) don't actually ask anything (i.e. "1-click inquiry")For all of its criticisms, CL still works the best for me.If you've tried other sources of marketing, please disregard my input. ;)

This will be the first year I try this out with tenants, as a means to fully automate from ad, access, contracts, and collection.

It can all be automated from your phone with the below locks & apps.

To that end, we support wholesalers and rehabbers, assisting them with property acquisition, and offer add on services such as re-listing after rehab at a discount, marketing services, etc.If you would send an e-mail address to me, we can add your contact info onto automated property searches as well as send you a "bidder profile" sheet that we will use to create a custom MLS search.

That's why I self manage 75 properties and have automation systems in place such that I know what is happening without going there.I wouldn't look for cheap property management though.