Becoming a Landlord Test tips

Chapter 2: Finding Reliable Tenants

You should know and understand the following points covered within this chapter:

Good ways to find tenants include posting notices on bulletin boards, placing ads in local publications and hiring a real estate sales or property management professional.
The Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination based on race.
The Federal Fair Housing Act prohibits landlords from discriminating against prospective tenants because of race and color; sex and national origin; and family status, disabilities, or religion.
The Federal Fair Housing Act prohibits advertisements that discriminate against particular groups. The two essential requirements are that:

You may not make any statement that indicates "a preference, limitations, or discrimination" based on race, color, sex, national origin, family status, disabilities or religion; and
You may not post ads or notices only in publications or on bulletin boards accessible only to limited groups

The three most important things you need to look for when you choose a tenant are:

the tenant's willingness and ability to make timely rental payments every month;
the tenant's willingness and ability to abide by the provisions in any lease or rental agreement you have him or her sign; and
your reasonable expectation that the tenant is not planning to engage in illegal activities on your property.