Leasing & Onboarding New Renters
Everything you need to know about signing new lease agreements and onboarding new tenants.
Preparing to sign a lease agreement?
Don’t sign it lightly.
Have you collected rental applications from a large pool of candidates? Have you run credit, criminal and eviction reports on all applicants? Collected application fees or charged the screening reports to the renter, to verify they’re committed?
If you’ve done all that, and made all the phone calls to verify income, employment, housing history, etc., and you feel 100% rock solid about this tenant… now you need to make sure you have a defensive lease agreement.
Think of your lease agreement as your shield, your armor. Most state landlord-tenant laws are extremely tenant-friendly, and designed to protect the renter, not the landlord. That means you’re responsible for protecting yourself.
How do you do that? With a comprehensive, protective lease package. Read on for more details, and happy leasing!
“Required Reading” – Start Here First!
Want more? We have you covered! Here’s some further reading on lease agreements, security deposits, move-in and everything else you need to know about onboarding new renters.
Full Library of Leasing & New Tenancy Articles:
Understanding CapEx For Landlords – “It’s Not Rocket Surgery”
The Big Picture On CapEx For Landlords: Capital expenditures are significant investments for maintaining and improving your rental property's long-term value. Disregarding capex in your forecasting and budgeting can lead to some very ugly consequences, the chief of...
How Much Can Landlords Charge for Rental Application Fees in Each State?
The Big Picture On How Much To Charge For Rental Application Fees For Each State: Different states have different laws regarding rental application fee limits. Some states do not have limits, while others, like New York and California, have stated limits and other...
Should Landlords Rent to College Students? Student Housing 101
The Big Picture On Should You Rent To College Students: Renting properties to college students near universities is an attractive real estate investment. Advantages of renting to college students include higher potential income, higher occupancy rates, co-signer...
Self Directed IRA Rental Property: A Real Estate Case Study
The Big Picture On How To Invest In Real Estate With Self-Directed IRA: You can invest in almost any type of real estate by opening a self-directed IRA with a custodian. It's much easier to invest in passive real estate investments (such as real estate syndications or...
How to Become a Landlord: Blueprint to Buy Your First Rental Property
The Big Picture On How To Become A Landlord: Rental properties can generate cash flow, appreciation, and tax benefits, but being a landlord requires some labor and expertise. If you just want to diversify into real estate and earn passive income, consider passive real...
How to Build Credit Fast: The Real Estate Investor’s Guide to Credit
The Big Picture On How To Build Credit Fast: Regularly check credit reports for errors to ensure accuracy and taking steps to correct any discrepancies found. Effectively utilize your credit cards by maintaining low balances relative to credit limits and paying bills...






