To avoid scammers and fraudulent paystubs, I contact the applicants place of employment directly to verify that the paystubs are accurate, the company is legitimate, and the duration of the applicants employment.Why do you need TWO YTD paystubs?

@Chris Morris have ALWAYS seen bad "deals" from rookie wholesalers that really don't understand what they are doing to provide value to the industry.It's getting worse because the real estate market has recovered from the 2010 Crash, yet many are still using tactics & methods developed during this time.Everyone in the industry needs to go back and look at what was being done BEFORE 2010 and start using those methods, updating them with current technology.

Another great option is the BRRRR method (Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat), where you buy a fixer-upper, renovate it, rent it out, and refinance to pull your cash back for the next deal, and this is a good route because most private lenders can go higher LTV than on a rental loan! 

Are you looking to continue doing the BRRR method or branching out? 

This is the simplest method, but it also means your tenants are more likely to abuse the utilities by leaving windows open with the heat or A/C running, leaving lights on, ignoring the toilet that constantly flushes on its own, etc.3.

I've been following the build-to-rent method for some time and even lived in one for 2 years.

Find Brandon's videos on YouTube for the "four square" method of analyzing homes and practice.

A legitimate wholesaler will likely have more off-market opportunities in the pipeline that you can explore/analyze.

But if you want to use a conservative approach and use the extra cash flow to pay off debt versus further investing, I think that's a very legitimate way to go about it.

What are the best sources or methods you use to accurately set rental rates in your area?