By the tone of your question you sound like you are looking for an excuse to delay taking action.Consider the process...You post the signs...You get one or more calls...You start a discussion over the phone and the deal looks good enough for a face-to-face...It is only at that time that you will need the contract... it could take weeks for you to get to that point.And... if you are worried that the contract may contain a clause that is not appropriate to California, make sure there is a severability clause in the contract so that all the other clauses survive if one clause must be removed.Best of luck... now get out and get a deal done!

When they call with bad intentions I merely say "excuse me but do you call McDonald's and threaten them when they send you coupons on the mail?"

I have been careful with screening so I have only ever had late rent (very rarely and only a matter of a few days late), as opposed to nonpayment, and the excuses have been pretty credible.

"We will only proceed if we are both happy with the deal" Avoid let me think it over excuse.3.

Excuse my fat finger miss spelling.

She said there were other flags as well but the only other one she provided was that I don't have experience managing property.I don't understand how they came up with the excuse that the operating expenses are too high.

I don't think your tenant is very serious about buying, and is using the credit card debt as an excuse.

You will get traction from those as well and you don't want your excuse for vacancy to be ...

I think many people are just afraid to get started and/or unwilling to put in the effort and time it takes, and just used these anecdotes as excuses. 

Remember that the bank is not going to excuse you from any mortgage payments because tenants are not paying their rent.