Are you doing full background and credit checks on new tenants?

If you think about it, the PM is required to do the move out inspection, record damages, and return the security deposit within 30 days (your state may require something different).

If they are the best you can do is pay enough that they can come up with the rest and don't completely destroy their credit. 

This might still be a lot for applicants in a C-class neighborhood, but it will be much less work for both of you if they can do it online (again, assuming they have access to a computer and a debit or credit card).

I run my own credit reports with the information provided on the application. 

Pricing for the lower credit scores is higher for obvious reasons.

Sounds like the owner might have been working up a situation of absconding with the Tenants Security Deposit and leaving with the damages. 

I heard credit unions but haven’t yet verified.

Fannie Mae , Freddie Mac , etc. know your credit score and own it .

Now I'm only getting 3-10 Messages per day.Sometimes people get there and don't like that it's a duplex and they have to share laundry, some don't like that it doesn't have central Air, and some just don't make enough money to qualify or have bad credit.