New landlords: Avoid these five tenant types

One thing I learned from being a property manager is that landlording is not for nice guys. That's not to say that I didn't like most of my tenants or try to be nice to them; I did.

But I also learned, at my boss's urging, that sometimes you have to say "no." No to unnecessary repairs or upgrades, no to extraordinary lease provisions and even, sometimes, no to prospective tenants who had applied to rent with us.

My latest article is targeted at landlords, particularly new ones. It's "Five Tenant Types Unfit for Your Investment Property."

Some rental applicants just are too risky to rent to or are too likely to bring headaches with them to your property. Learn who they are by clicking on the article title above.


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One for the parents: To co-sign or not to co-sign, that is the question!

Has your child asked you to co-sign an apartment lease for him or her?

It's not uncommon for a landlord to require a co-signer for young tenants who don't have much of a rental history. And usually parents are the most apt to sign on. But before you co-sign the lease, make sure to read "Should I Co-Sign an Apartment Lease for My Child?"

The article lets you know what your obligations will be as an apartment lease co-signer and what pitfalls you'll have to avoid.

Denied an apartment due to poor credit?

If you've recently applied to rent an apartment but were turned down due to blemishes on your credit report, here are some tips on what you should fix first: Denied an Apartment Due to Poor Credit? Best Credit Fixes for Renters.

Some fixes can get you back on track so you'll qualify for an apartment in as little as 30 to 60 days. Priority No. 1? Check your credit report for errors. Some creditors are lightning-quick to report late payments or unpaid bills to the credit reporting agencies but notoriously slow -- or even negligent -- about reporting that the debts finally did, in fact, get paid. Get those old, erroneous debts off your credit report and you'll have much better success getting approved for an apartment.

For more tips and info, read the article here.




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