the First-Time Landlord's Guide: How to Screen Tenants, Set Rent, Handle Repairs, and Protect Your Investment — Without Losing Sleep

Being a landlord is one of the most reliable ways ordinary people build lasting wealth - and one of the easiest to get badly wrong. Nearly every landlord horror story traces back to a shortcut in the basics. This is those basics, done right - written by a working landlord for someone about to rent out their first property, whether it's a house you've moved out of, an inherited home, a first investment, or a basement apartment. No hype, no "passive income" fantasy. Just the things that actually decide whether being a landlord makes you money and peace, or costs you both. Inside: - Is landlording right for you? An honest look at the rewards and the real costs - Getting the property ready - safe, legal, and rentable - Setting the right rent with real math, not wishful thinking - Marketing and showings that bring you a pool to choose from - The most important chapter: screening tenants - including fair housing, the income rule, and the one call most landlords forget to make - Building an ironclad lease - Security deposits handled by the book (where landlords get sued most) - Rent collection, maintenance, taxes, insurance, and records - When things go wrong - late rent, evictions, and why you must never "self-help" >Get the fundamentals right and the rest is manageable. This book gets them right. (Educational guide, not legal advice. Landlord-tenant law varies by location - always confirm your local rules.)