The U.S. Department of Justice just dropped a headline that is guaranteed to travel: it has accused six major landlords of scheming to keep rents high. If you own rental property, manage units for clients, or operate a small portfolio, you might be thinking two things at once: That’s the right instinct. Even if the case focuses on large operators, the public narrative often spills over into “landlords” as a whole, and that can lead to new regulations, new lawsuits, and new compliance … [Read more...] about DOJ Accuses Six Major Landlords of Scheming to Keep Rents High
Best Landlord Policy Insurance (What to Buy, What to Avoid, and How to Compare Quotes)
The “best” landlord policy insurance isn’t one brand that fits everyone—it’s the policy that covers the risks you actually have as a rental owner: tenant-caused damage, liability claims, loss of rent after a covered event, and the right property coverage for the way the home is used (long-term rental, short-term, room-by-room, etc.). Landlords get burned when they buy the cheapest premium, assume homeowners insurance is “close enough,” or skip key add-ons that matter in real claims. This guide … [Read more...] about Best Landlord Policy Insurance (What to Buy, What to Avoid, and How to Compare Quotes)
How to Run a Credit Report on a Tenant (Landlord Step-by-Step Guide)
Running a tenant credit report is one of the fastest ways to spot payment-risk before you hand over keys—but it’s also one of the easiest places for landlords to mess up compliance, consistency, and documentation. The “right” way is not just clicking a button on a screening site. It’s a repeatable process: you collect written permission, verify identity, pull the report through a legitimate screening channel, review the same factors for every applicant, and keep a clean paper trail in case your … [Read more...] about How to Run a Credit Report on a Tenant (Landlord Step-by-Step Guide)
The Risks of Using AI as a Landlord (And How to Use It Without Getting Burned)
AI tools can save landlords time—screening help, faster replies, draft notices, marketing listings, even maintenance triage. But AI also creates new risks that many landlords don’t see until it’s too late: fair housing exposure, privacy problems, bad legal advice, and sloppy documentation that can backfire in court. The biggest danger is treating AI like a decision-maker instead of a tool. If you let AI “decide” who gets approved, what notice to serve, or how to respond to a tenant complaint, … [Read more...] about The Risks of Using AI as a Landlord (And How to Use It Without Getting Burned)
What Credit Scores Do Landlords Look For? (Real-World Ranges, Red Flags, and How to Use Credit the Right Way)
Most landlords don’t use one universal “minimum credit score.” In real life, credit is usually a risk signal that gets weighed alongside income, rental history, job stability, and prior evictions. That said, across the U.S., many landlords informally sort applicants into ranges: strong credit (often mid-to-high 700s) tends to get fast approvals and better terms, mid-range credit (often 600s) can still qualify with stronger income or a clean rental history, and low credit (often below the low … [Read more...] about What Credit Scores Do Landlords Look For? (Real-World Ranges, Red Flags, and How to Use Credit the Right Way)
Can Landlords Kick Out Tenants Without a Lease? (Nationwide Rules, Notices, and the Fastest Legal Path)
If you’ve got someone living in your rental with no written lease—or the lease expired and they’re still there—it can feel like you’re stuck. Here’s the truth: in most of the U.S., you usually can remove them, but you usually cannot “kick them out” on the spot. Once an occupant is treated as a tenant (even without a signed lease), they typically have legal possession rights. That means you generally need to follow the correct written notice rules and, if they don’t leave, the formal eviction … [Read more...] about Can Landlords Kick Out Tenants Without a Lease? (Nationwide Rules, Notices, and the Fastest Legal Path)
My Tenant Withheld Rent, Went Viral, And The City Tagged My Property
Renee Boudreaux wasn’t a corporate landlord. She wasn’t a hedge fund. She wasn’t even a “portfolio” person. She owned two rentals in New Orleans, Louisiana—both older properties, both kept up, both paid for by years of careful budgeting and a lot of weekends spent fixing things herself. When her shotgun double in Mid-City opened up in early summer, she wanted one thing: a stable tenant before hurricane season. Vacancy in New Orleans isn’t just lost rent. It’s humidity, storms, and the … [Read more...] about My Tenant Withheld Rent, Went Viral, And The City Tagged My Property
A Landlord Who Sues a Tenant for Unpaid Rent Would Most Likely Take the Case To… (Small Claims vs. Civil Court vs. Eviction Court)
If someone searches the exact phrase “a landlord who sues a tenant for unpaid rent would most likely take the case to,” they’re usually trying to answer a simple question: where do you file? The practical answer is: most landlords sue for unpaid rent in small claims court when the amount is within the limit. But depending on what you’re asking for (money only vs. possession/eviction vs. larger damages), you may end up in eviction court (housing court) or a higher-level civil court … [Read more...] about A Landlord Who Sues a Tenant for Unpaid Rent Would Most Likely Take the Case To… (Small Claims vs. Civil Court vs. Eviction Court)
