In a bad area, screening for quality tenants is near impossible so you end up taking what you can get.

However, screening and selecting tenants, hiring contractors to make repairs, and coordinating other efforts is not prohibited.Below is a BP blog post I wrote on this exact topic:Can I be the property manager for my IRA-owned real estate?

I am getting my RE license so I can have unrestricted access to properties and not have to use a realtor to show me properties.If a realtor feeds me a property that I end up buying I have no problem signing a property specific agreement that is required for inclusion in the offer they submit on my behalf.In my short time trying to enter the RE business I have met several realtors who what you to commit to them and then just want to feed you automated listings without ever providing any property/area analysis, comps or anything else.They want me to screen the automated emails for them and they just submit the offer....that is not what I need a realtor for, if a realtor has no time or willingness to earn my business by actually demonstrating what value they can bring to the table by screening properties with actual details/analysis & numbers and forwarding those to me so I can determine if they really do understand my needs or if they just want to be an administrative paper processor submitting the offer and contract paperwork after I do all the research...not interested.  

(accounting features, online payments/applications, owner payments, screening etc)And you have no idea how much I referred to the ebook - Accounting Debits/Credits always screwed with me in college - maybe a right brain/left brain type of thing I was always good at math, but for some reason those two always tripped me up as it really doesnt apply to the daily life version of how we use debit/credit or think of the concept when paying for things on our debit/credit cards etc -- Always had in my head debit was taking money away, however not always the case in accounting.  

Focus on screening tenants (credit, criminal, rental history) and mitigating probability of an eviction.

Screen, screen, screen!

My company screens and places tenants and can manage your tenants when you move- Message me with the information and I'd love to help you out.

@brandonturner wrote a good article on how to quickly screen tenants: http://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2015/08/31...  

Since you are a brand new landlord, I recommend that you spend some time reading the landlord forums here on BP and some of the blogs and podcasts relating to best practices of screening tenants. 

I am saying that the potential damage from a bad tenant who knows the system from the inside and takes advantage of the system is much greater than the potential damage from most other tenants who would pass my screens.