Russel, our grandfathers were cut from the same cloth which probably feeds into an investment mindset that leans toward being conservative.  

You’re in it now, this is your baby for the next few years, just stay close to it.

With your parents down the street, you could just bring your necessary items leaving seasonal clothes storage and other things at their place to limit your items needing storage to free up for the paying roommate.

I once had to throw out an urn of baby ashes from a tenant who left it behind.

Jeez, when I think of the countless days my tenants and I spent in 100F Los Angeles heat waves with never any a/c, me just wetting my clothes every half hour or so.

I would recommend dressing up in either a suit or nice looking new sports clothes. 

If it's just a retailer selling some commodity good like books, electronics, or clothing beware.

What Dave Ramsey calls a "baby emergency fund" of $1000 goes a long way toward making a sudden breakdown from an emergency into a minor annoyance.I would expect a professionally managed apartment complex to be sticklers for getting the rent. 

here are reasons I was suspect of this tenant:teenage kids all had bad, uncut, unshaven hair, and clothes looked like Walmart status - remember, this is S.

Because now you feel like a total jerk when they tell you that they lost their job, or their baby is sick and the hospital bills were a higher priority than rent.