@Karen Margrave I’m pretty diligent in my screening and make every effort to ensure I am not discriminating or even mention a protected class in my ad and qualification requirements.

Was there any type of income qualification/verification you did before signing the new lease with them?

If you are talking about a one-time occurrence, the easiest thing for you to do is have a mortgage professional run a pre-qualification check on them and possibly pull a full credit application to see if they are able to buy.  

But, with that said, I'd be open to a tenant who can meet my qualifications on their own. 

Kenneth I read your bio and your situation seemingly contradicts your stringent leasing qualifications, where do you think you went wrong to cause this perfect storm?

Make it accurate to what the offering would be, clearly give the qualifications (maybe even be a little too strict), and try the posting at a couple different rent rates.

This is where having minimum qualifications are good to have.

My best suggestion would be to take into account your potential tenants qualifications and base your decision on that alone.

Two separate issues here:  Title and loan qualification & terms.Title:  If this were my chore, I would create a Living Trust in the parents name and appoint you and your husband as the trustees with full POA for all financial and property transactions(the lawyer should provide an Abstract of Trust). 

Can you define what an "experienced" short sale agent is and there qualifications.