Moving up to a new home, and turning your old home into a rental can be a great way to get started owning rental properties.  That is exactly how Chris Colgan got his start owning rental properties.

Chris thinks that the first purchase anybody should make if they want to own real estate is a primary house.  When you are ready to move out, keep your old house and buy a new house.

Chris said that location is an important consideration when buying a property.  His first property is within walking distance to a hospital.  Hospital employees give him a steady stream of potential renters.

Chris agreed with Skip and Mary Saylor, on episode 7 of the Rental Income Podcast, that owning a condo is not always the best idea.  The condo fees can be high, but on the upside they are easy to rent out.

Best Places to find renters

Craigslist
MLS
Military By Owner
Word of Mouth

Tenant Screening

Check Credit
Are they paying utility bills?
Reference from previous landlord

Budget

Make sure you budget to paint between tenants
Watch out for little things like getting keys and parking stickers back from tenants

Other Advice

Check on the property every quarter to twice a year

Books
Millionaire Real Estate Investor by Gary Keller
Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki

Source to Find Good Contractors
AngiesList

Contact Chris Colgan
ColganRealEstate.com

How to pick the right tenants, to minimize evictions.  Skip and Mary Saylor talk about the lessons they have learned from 40 years of owning rental properties.  They have rented a lot of properties, to a lot of different people over the years, but they have had very few evictions.  On this episode they reveal, in detail, exactly how they screen tenants

Screening Process:
1.) Fill out application
2.) Pay application fee
3.) Show photo ID
4.) Credit Check
5.) Check civil court records to see if they have been sued by a prior landlord for not paying rent or property damage
6.) Verify employment (min income 3x rent)
7.) Verify current and past landlords

Rental Criteria (they show this to tenants before taking application fee)
1.) No unpaid landords
2.) No utilities in collection (electric, water)
3.) No crimes against persons or drug convictions in the last 5 years
4.) Other negative credit information can be overlooked

Favorite Real Estate Book:

Landlording by Lee Robinson

How to manager 20 properties on the side without a property manager.  Sheila Konecke's main business is flipping houses.  She flips about 3 houses a month.  But, she manages to find time to manage 20 rentals on the side without a property manager.  This episode will show you how she does it.

Keys To Sheila's Success:

Sheila has had luck selling rentals to tenants, by telling tenants if they are interested in buying the house to let her know if they want to buy and she will give them a price

Sheila is fair to her renters.  They see this, and they don't want to leave her

Finding Renters
Sign in the Yard
Craigslist
MLS
Trulia
She usually finds tenants in 2 - 4 weeks

Screening Process:

Checks Credit - But, she warns credit doesn't really predict how the person will be as a renter
She charges a small fee mainly to make sure they are serious
References
Mainly she checks to see they do what they are going to do.
She likes people that take action.  "They need to get from A to B quickly"

The 3 Things Sheila Wants In A Tenant:
Pays the rent on time
Keeps the house nice
Doesn't call you for every little thing

It's hard to find all 3 things in a tenant.  She warns you are lucky to get 2 out of the 3

Budget To Fix Up Property Between Tenants:
$4,000 - $6,000

Favorite Real Estate Books:
Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki
Think And Grow Rich by Napolean Hill

It is possible to own rental properties in a different city than you live in, and not have a property manager.  Tim Hennessey is proof of that.  Tim owns 7 rental properties.  He owns 4 in Florida, and 3 in Illinois (where he lives).  He manages the Florida properties from Illinois and he does it all without a property manager.

They Keys To Managing A Property From Out Of Town:

1.) Make it easy for tenants to make their rental payments.  (Tim gives them addressed, and stamped envelopes with deposit slips, so the tenants can mail the rent checks directly to his bank)

2.) Build a network of contractors that you trust that can deal with repair issues

3.) Be careful to pick long term renters to reduce turnover

4.) Schedule a time to visit the properties, and schedule a fairly intense schedule of showings to try to rent it yourself.  If it can't be rented before he leaves town, he hires a local Realtor to rent it out.

5.) Buy houses in nicer areas

6.) Take care of tenants....If carpet is worn, replace it.  If the house needs to be painted, paint it.

7.) Try to sign multiple year leases

8.) Raise the rent on a regular basis.  Not a lot.  Use 3% a year.

9.) It's better to take less money and get a higher quality tenant, than to get more money, and a lower quality tenant.

Tim's Criteria To Find Long-Term Tenants:

1.) Decent credit history

2.) Good prior rental history

3.) Decent job and income

Favorite Real Estate Book:

Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki

Other Advice:

Buy properties right.  What you make on a property is determined by what you pay for it.