@Erin O'Connor Smith at lease signing we require last month's rent and a security deposit equal to a month's rent.

I'd also update my leases with multiple tenants making everyone responsible for damages paid equally in common areas if someone leaves early.

You are 100% stuck as the old landlords signature is now equally as binding as yours would be.

Illegal or not, the woman may well be a fine person but it is my firm belief you are being lied to-for a reason. 

Congress is propping up the U.S. economy in 2020, in the belief that doing so, improves the chances, that remedies against COVID-19 are better effected.

Being a real estate investor is not so much about timing the market (your personal beliefs don't me jack, they are like a**holes we all have one), what matters is finding the DEAL THAT WORKS TO BUILD WEALTH!  

@Todd Powell  It’s sad how it’s becoming common for people to try and destroy the lives of others who don’t share their beliefs.  

All things being equal, FHA allows higher DTI than traditional lenders, as high as 56.9% under some circumstances.FHA borrowers are much less likely to have ready capital.

The belief of "easy money is too good to be true", or "I won't ever become rich because there are so many other smarter people out there", changed to "how can I do it?"

That deal sounds skinny on the surface - typically you do ARV x .7 minus repairs, and that equals the max you can pay, and builds in a profit for you as well as holding costs.