Landlord Resources
Tips, guides, and tools for independent landlords managing 2–10 properties.
Legal Guide
Why Landlords Shouldn't Use Venmo for Rent Collection (And What to Do Instead)
Can landlords use Venmo for rent? Here's why Venmo rent collection creates terms-of-service, documentation, dispute, and accounting risk for small landlords — and what protects you instead.
Legal Guide
10 Landlord Mistakes That Lead to Lawsuits (And How to Avoid Them)
Most landlords who get sued aren't bad actors — they made honest mistakes they didn't know were mistakes. Illegal late fees, missed security deposit deadlines, inconsistent screening, no adverse action notice: here are the 10 most common errors and exactly how to prevent them.
Templates
Lease Renewal Letter to Tenant: Templates + Tips for Landlords
Three copy-paste lease renewal letter templates — standard renewal, rent increase, and month-to-month conversion — plus when to send, what to include, how to deliver, and the mistakes that cost landlords money.
Comparison
Best Property Management App for Landlords (2025 Guide)
The best property management apps for small landlords — honest comparison of LeasePlex, TurboTenant, Avail, Buildium, and Rentec Direct. Which one is actually right for 2–10 units?
Guide
How to Run a Background Check on a Tenant: A Landlord's Guide
A practical guide to tenant background checks — what they include, how to run one legally, what the FCRA and Fair Housing Act require, how much they cost, and the most common mistakes landlords make.
Guide
How to Manage a Rental Property: A Complete Guide for First-Time Landlords
From move-in setup and tenant screening to rent collection, expense tracking, maintenance, and legal compliance — the 7 areas every first-time landlord needs to get right.
Pricing Guide
How Much Does Property Management Software Cost? (2025 Pricing Guide)
The price range is $0 to $500+/month — and most small landlords are shopping in the wrong tier entirely. Here's what property management software actually costs for 2–10 properties, what drives the difference, and how to avoid paying for features you'll never use.
Guide
Rental Property Accounting: A Simple Guide for Small Landlords
The 5 accounts every landlord needs to track, common bookkeeping mistakes that cost money at tax time, how to build a simple system without fancy software, and when spreadsheets stop being enough.
Guide
Landlord Tax Deductions: The Complete Guide for Small Landlords
The 10 biggest rental property tax deductions, repairs vs. improvements, depreciation explained simply, record-keeping tips, and the common mistakes that cause small landlords to overpay taxes every year.
Comparison
Best Rental Property Management Software for Small Landlords (2025 Guide)
Buildium, AppFolio, and Propertyware are built for 50+ units — and priced accordingly. Here's an honest comparison of the real options for landlords managing 2–10 properties, including what each tool does and doesn't cover.
Guide
How to Write a Lease Agreement: A Complete Landlord's Guide (2025)
Every clause a landlord needs, optional protections worth adding, state-specific rules, the mistakes that get landlords burned most often, and how to store leases so nothing slips through the cracks.
Checklist
Landlord Checklist: Everything You Need Before Renting Out a Property
The complete landlord checklist — property prep, legal requirements, tenant screening, move-in documentation, financial setup, and ongoing management. Skip a step and you'll pay for it later.
Guide
How to Handle Late Rent Payments: A Step-by-Step Guide for Landlords
Tenant late on rent? Here's the step-by-step process — written notices, late fees, documentation, pay-or-quit notices, and how to prevent it next time. No fluff.
Guide
Landlord Expense Tracking: The Complete Guide for Small Landlords
What counts as a deductible rental expense, why spreadsheets break at 2–3 properties, what good tracking actually looks like, and how to make tax season a non-event.
Guide
How to Collect Rent Online: The Complete Guide for Small Landlords
Most small landlords still collect rent via Venmo, Zelle, or cash — which creates late payments, no paper trail, and tax headaches. Here's how online rent collection actually works, what to look for in a tool, and how to set it up once and let it run.
Guide
How to Raise Rent: A Landlord's Step-by-Step Guide
When you can legally raise rent, how much to increase it, how to give proper notice, how to write a rent increase letter, and what to do if your tenant pushes back — a practical guide for small landlords.
Guide
Landlord Insurance: What Coverage Do You Actually Need?
Homeowner's insurance doesn't cover rentals — and most small landlords don't find out until they file a claim. Here's what landlord insurance covers, how much it costs, and what to look for when shopping.
Guide
Rental Property Accounting: How to Track Income and Expenses
The practical guide to rental property accounting for small landlords — the right bank accounts, what income and expenses to track, cash vs. accrual, why spreadsheets break at 3+ properties, and what your CPA needs at tax time.
Guide
Landlord Responsibilities for Repairs and Maintenance: What You're Required to Fix
What landlords must legally maintain, what they're not required to fix, how fast you must respond to repair requests, and how to document everything properly to protect yourself in a dispute.
Guide
Security Deposit Disputes: What Landlords Need to Know (and How to Avoid Them)
How to handle a security deposit dispute — documentation, allowable deductions, state return deadlines, and what happens when a landlord misses the deadline.
Guide
How to Screen Tenants: A Step-by-Step Guide for Landlords
The complete tenant screening process — rental application, background and credit check, income verification, landlord references, and adverse action notices. Plain English guide for first-time landlords.
Guide
What Is a Month-to-Month Lease? A Landlord's Guide
Pros, cons, notice requirements, how to raise rent, and how to end a month-to-month rental agreement — everything small landlords need to know.
Guide
Rent Increase Notice: How Much and How Early?
How much notice landlords must give before raising rent, how much you can raise it, how to write a rent increase letter, and what to do if your tenant pushes back.
Guide
How to Evict a Tenant: A Step-by-Step Guide for Small Landlords
The complete eviction process — from issuing the correct written notice to the writ of possession. A plain-English guide for small landlords who have never evicted anyone before.
Guide
Lease Renewal: A Landlord's Guide to Renewing a Tenant's Lease the Right Way
When to start, what to update, how to raise rent legally, and what to do when a tenant goes quiet. Everything small landlords need to handle renewals without getting caught off guard.
Guide
Tenant Screening Criteria: What Landlords Should Document
Protect yourself from fair housing liability. Here's what to document before reviewing any applicant.
Guide
Rent-to-Income Ratio: What Landlords Should Require
The 3x income rule explained — how to calculate it, what counts as income, how to verify it, and how to apply it consistently to stay fair housing compliant.
Guide
Late Fee Laws by State: What Landlords Can (and Can't) Charge
Landlord late fee rules vary by state — and a fee that's too high can void your lease clause. Here's what landlords need to know about late fee caps, grace periods, and how to stay compliant.
Guide
Fair Housing Laws: What Every Small Landlord Must Know
Fair Housing violations cost landlords $16,000–$65,000+ per complaint. Here's what the law covers, what counts as a violation, and how documentation keeps you protected.
Guide
Late Rent Payment: What Landlords Should Do (Step by Step)
When a tenant is late on rent, every hour matters. Here's the step-by-step process — from written notice to Pay or Quit — that keeps you legally protected and gets you paid.
Guide
How to Write a Lease Agreement: A Guide for Small Landlords
The 10 sections every rental lease agreement needs, common mistakes to avoid, state-specific requirements, and how to track lease renewals after signing.
Guide
Security Deposit Laws by State: What Landlords Need to Know
Limits, return deadlines, and penalties for all 50 states + D.C. The two mistakes that expose small landlords to 2–3× penalties — and how to avoid them.
Guide
How to Track Rental Income and Expenses
What to record, which Schedule E categories matter, common mistakes (repairs vs. improvements, missing mileage), and when a spreadsheet stops being enough.
Guide
How to Manage Rental Properties: A Practical Guide for Small Landlords
Rent collection, expense tracking, maintenance, lease renewals, and tenant screening — a practical guide for landlords managing 2–10 properties without enterprise software.
Guide
Property Management Software for Small Landlords: Do You Really Need It?
Most small landlords start with spreadsheets — and that's fine, until it isn't. Here's how to tell when software actually makes sense for landlords managing 2–10 properties.
Guide
How to Collect Rent Online from Tenants
Stop chasing tenants for rent. Here's how to collect rent online from tenants — with auto-reminders, payment history, and zero spreadsheet chaos.
Comparison
Best Rent Collection Apps for Small Landlords (2–10 Properties)
Venmo isn't a rent collection strategy. Here's an honest breakdown of the real options for small landlords — and what to look for before you sign up.
Read more →Guide
How to Track Rental Property Expenses (Without a Spreadsheet)
Most landlords track expenses in a spreadsheet — until tax season. Here's a better system that saves hours and catches every deduction.
Read more →Guide
Landlord Maintenance Request Tracker — Free Template + Best Tools
How to track tenant maintenance requests as a landlord — free Google Sheets template, what to look for in a tracker, and when to upgrade from spreadsheets.
Read more →Guide
Tenant Overpaid Rent? Here's What Landlords Should Do (Step-by-Step)
A tenant paid too much rent — now what? How to confirm the overpayment, notify your tenant, agree on a refund method, and record it cleanly in your ledger.
Guide
Tenant Screening for Small Landlords — What to Check and How to Do It
Credit, criminal, eviction history, income verification, FCRA basics, and which screening tools actually work for landlords managing 2–10 properties.
Guide
Lease Management for Landlords — How to Track Renewals and Stop Missing Deadlines
How to track lease expiration dates, use the 90/60/30 day rule, write renewal offers, and avoid the common mistakes that cost small landlords money.
Checklist
Summer Landlord Checklist: 7 Things to Do Before August
Lease renewals, HVAC inspections, expense reviews — here's what every small landlord should tackle before August hits.
Checklist
What Every Landlord Should Do Before July 4th
Don't let the holiday weekend catch you off guard. 7 things every small landlord should handle before July 4th — rent reminders, expense reconciliation, and automating collection.
Free Download: The Landlord Compliance Checklist
25 things that can get you sued — and how to stay protected.