I wouldn't be surprised if there was a criminal history.

Am I liable for criminal acts committed on my vacant property (dog fighting, prostitution, drug deals, parties where someone's injured, etc.?)

my reply got deleted somehow. i think i said:- if they ask if you do "criminal check", run away. - when verifying their information, ask lots of questions and compare that to what the prospective tenants told you. if the person on the other line says "yes/no, i am not sure", then it's not a true reference.- talk less and listen more

I would take offense to this engineering bashing being that I am one.

I did this once and the people who answered...without pause...told me not only does the applicant not live there, they live across the street and are moving because they were getting kicked out for the grandson's drug dealing.None of this would have shown up on the criminal history of the sweet little grandmother who gave me the application.

Do you or have you ever accepted a tenant with a previous criminal history or do you automatically move on the the next application?

@Garrett DiegelNo offense but from this post alone it seems you are far from ready to pull off a successful flip.

When you're screening your tenants, do a thorough background check, including criminal and credit history.

If you do not intend to live in the property for at least a year at the time you close on the mortgage, I believe it would be mortgage fraud, which is a federal criminal offense.

No pickup cash.Number 1 it's not safe for your property manager and invites a criminal act against them for robbery.Number 2 some PM's have stolen money in the past and it is tempting for them when life's  problems are staring them in the face.I had an issue years ago where a tenant that pays late but normally pays the rent had not came in.