@Oli HarpsTo manage your Oakland 4-plex effectively, stay informed about the local market, build local connections, conduct thorough tenant screening, consider value-add opportunities, decide whether to self-manage or hire a property management company, network with local investors, plan for growth through scaling your portfolio, explore financing options, and stay informed about the local market through online communities and resources.

You would then do the math to remove that exemption and see what the resulting yearly tax amount would be.Since it's your first time being a landlord, it might make sense to utilize a property management company or agent to find and screen a good tenant.

If you have a good screening process that checks all aspects of their background, you'll weed them out through other means.

What source do you use for:- screening criminal background- how much they make- any step by step that would be good to get them in. 

Thank you  I personally refer to this article:https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/how-to-screen-tenants

Are maintenance and tenant screening included?

House hacking is the most powerful way to get started in real estate investing, and it sets you up for success because you learn so many things: dealing with contractors, how to screen tenants, lease negotiation, but most importantly, your goal should be to reduce or eliminate your housing cost, and there are a lot of ways to do with house hacking depending on your flexibility with strategy: rent by room, Section 8, mid-term rental, STR, etc, and you can combine multiple strategies too. 

Go to BUILD YOUR TEAM at the top of your screen, and you can search for other MEMBERS or LOCAL MEETUPS.

We would pay for the screening. 

.: Hi Shawn, I use KeyCheck's lease agreement (and lease addendum, as needed), and background screenings.