When one does leave I update the property and get market rents which I am usually a little behind on.In the beginning my downfall was not properly screening tenants and most of those tenants didn't work out to be the 5 year plus occupancy that I have now.

In Ohio, divorce decrees are public record but only available upon request. 

Many lenders will allow a quit claim deed to be recorded but please check with your current lender.

How do you pre-screen potential tenants?

For example, the tenants we had in a unit would simply bust out the screens so that they could throw stuff out the windows. 

We get decent people applying for rents and screen thoroughly to get the best that we can for the area.

I've heard that getting a memorandum and the purchase and sale recorded with the town clerk will prevent the seller from making any deals with any other buyer.

Usually there's some paperwork that you have to fill out and get notarized and send to the County Recorder.

Collecting a damage deposit is a core task of a PM that you pay for and they either failed to do it, or failed to properly record it... either way, unacceptable.   

Just make sure it is very professionally structured - not to high LTV, good cash flow, have enough reserves and sign a promissory note and mortgage recorded with the County.