I'm surprised you closed without (a) getting the keys, (b) the opportunity to review and approve the lease, credit profile, employment and financial status of the new tenant and (c) the 20 days of rent you are owed.Did you close with an attorney?

My goal is to find a neighborhood that is not a combat zone, Houses are affordable, employment is steady or growing.

If that meeting doesn't offer a common sense solution (like allowing you a waiver on this fence but requiring any replacement be correct standards) then some states have a board or independent agency that helps owners with disputes with their associations, so look that up to see if you have one of those as the Board being contacted by an outside party might help immensely.

I think that in New England, it is difficult to find older houses (which is most of the housing stock in some towns) where NO ONE has died, simply because as you go back in time, it was more and more common to stay at home when you were elderly and ill.Murders and suicides are less common, and have much more of a stigma.

This just one set of items on the HUD-1 that need to be reviewed.There are many expenses that are common to rental properties and if I don't see them I will be asking questions.

They are probably around 50 (given that their kids are grown up, done with college, and out in the world working), so the previous statement is not inconceivable, I've seen it before.The effect of the preceding data is that there are no previous landlords to contact, nor can I contact their employer... they *did* give references among their neighbors, who I'll call this weekend.

thanks but SFHs arent all that common in the NY metro area so I dont know if that would work for me.

Sounds like you are working hard to make some money, this seems to be a common trend around here.

I tell them that after I verify their employment and income I will run their credit and they will have to pay the credit check fee online.

but perhaps you could do the common areas with new molding and leave the bedrooms as is.