Free Landlord Guides
Lease agreements, tenant screening, habitability requirements, security deposits, and more — written in plain English, always free.
Every step from the first legal notice through the writ of possession — the documentation required at each stage and the mistakes that force you to start over.
Your homeowners policy does not cover a rental property. Every coverage type a landlord needs, the optional coverages worth adding, and the one gap that costs landlords the most.
The exact steps to take when rent is late — from the first courtesy reminder through the pay-or-quit notice — and the partial payment trap that resets the eviction clock.
State-by-state deposit limits, what you can legally deduct, itemization requirements, and how to handle disputes before they become lawsuits.
Most landlords can tell you their monthly rent. Very few can tell you their actual return. Here's how to build a real financial model for your property — and what the numbers mean.
The 18 clauses every residential lease must include, what makes them legally enforceable, the clauses courts routinely void, and what generic online templates miss.
Every deduction available to rental property owners — depreciation, the repair vs. capital improvement distinction, home office, vehicle mileage, passive activity rules, and how to survive an IRS audit.
The honest break-even analysis — PM fees vs. the actual cost of your time, what property managers really do (and don't do), and when each option makes financial sense.
Response time requirements by urgency, what triggers tenant rent withholding rights, the implied warranty of habitability in all 50 states, and the documentation system that protects you.
Every landlord needs to raise rent. But raise it wrong — too much, too abruptly, with the wrong communication — and you don't get more income. You get a vacancy.
Most landlords think about bad tenants in terms of a missed month's rent. The actual number — when you add eviction, repairs, vacancy, and legal fees — is closer to $15,000 to $30,000. Often more.
Raising rent is one of the most legally regulated decisions a landlord makes. This guide covers notice requirements, rent control rules by state, how to calculate a defensible increase, and how to write a notice that holds up — so you stay compliant and keep good tenants.
What you can and can't ask, Fair Housing Act compliance, background check standards, and how to document every decision to protect yourself.