As the previous replies mentioned, definitely make sure you are screening any persons that are living in your unit.

This taught me a lot about screening and tenants in general.When the inevitable repairs came up...

Screen for motivation first.

This is what he, in his moment of failure and misery, chose to teach his child as memorably as he could, asked his child to remember about financial success and failure.So I'm asking you again, Nick, and if you tell me again that you want to do this because you want to feel just a bit better than the people around you, I'm going to laugh at my computer screen.

I supposed if I screened tenants really well I may be able to lock in a few good long term tenants.

You must screen the government agency as thoroughly as you do the tenant.

What they are really saying is that if you have a policy of rejecting all applicants with criminal records and a applicant has a record you need to have a screening policy in place in which you can use something else to reject them.

She said that there could be multiple months prepaid up front for security, and that she has an "excellent rental and work history" on which I presume she is comfortable sharing details.I would screen any guarantor the same way I would screen someone living in the unit, and I am thinking about a 6-month lease term with some level of prepayment, but not full prepayment to make eviction easier if things went bad.What do you think? 

During screening interviews make it crystal clear that as a professional landlord you do not tolerate late payments for any reasons.

Handles all of the basics (screening, payment, maintenance, etc.).