Screening - Reports

I always say the #1 thing that a property manager or landlord must do to avoid headaches is to properly screen their potential residents. A good start is a credit report, but it's a good idea to expand the screening to include criminal background checks, public records (i.e. judgments, liens, bankruptcy, etc), eviction history & a sex offender search. While this information alone can't predict with full certainty as to how the resident will be, it's a great start. I subscribe to a service that charges me $15 for an all-encompassing report which is extremely valuable. The nice thing is that the applicant pays for the report, so it's a win-win. I'll touch on additional screening options & procedures in my next entry.