If an applicant lives locally, we drive by and inspect their current property to check maintenance issues such as the overall quality of the yard. We do a thorough credit check for any evictions, criminal background check, late payments, car repossessions, unpaid rents, collections, or charge-offs. We also check on outstanding credit card debts or student loans.

If everything checks out, we prepare a rental agreement, adding a separate addendum stating that the applicant's security deposit cannot be used for the last month's rent when giving 30-day notice, in addition to other rental disclosures.

In reference to setting up property management with owners, we prepare a property management agreement. (Property management agreement and rental agreement forms are on the California Association of Realtors website.) The owner receives a monthly statement as well as, at the end of the year, a 1099 income tax form and an expense report showing all expenses regarding the property. We periodically do drive-bys on properties to make sure they are being maintained.