Landlording on autopilot: a simple, no-brainer system for higher profits, less work and more fun (do it all from your smartphone or tablet!)

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS xviiABOUT THE AUTHOR xixINTRODUCTION: How I Owned and Operated 75 Rental Properties While Working My Full-Time Job as an Undercover Police Detective (BEFORE Hiring a 5-Hour-a-Week Office Person) xxiSECTION I YOU MUST HAVE THE RIGHT MINDSET FIRSTCHAPTER 1 Why Residential Rental Properties? 3Real Estate Investing 101: The Basics 5Do It Safely-Keep Your Job! 6Rule 1-Etch This in Stone 7CHAPTER 2 The Life Cycle of a Tenant from A to Z 11Point A 11Point Z 11A Few Landlording Ground Rules 14Do Some Research on Your State's Fair Housing Law 20Fair Housing Laws and ADA, Both Federal and Local 22ADA-Americans with Disabilities Act 23CHAPTER 3 Before You Turn on Your Smartphone: Real Estate Investing Is NOT FIRE, Ready, Aim! 25Beginner Basics of Autopilot Landlording 26CHAPTER 4 Never, Never Call Yourself a "Landlord" 31Stupid Move on My Part 32My Tenants Already Know Me as Their "Landlord"! 35CHAPTER 5 Are Tenants Your "Customers"? 39Why the 1960s TV Show Leave It to Beaver Is Important 40Your Rental Application Becomes a "Job Application!" 41What about the Holiday Season? 43Your Benefit from the Annual Holiday Bash 45SECTION II BEFORE YOU GIVE KEYS TO YOUR NEW RESIDENTCHAPTER 6 Never Show a Vacant Unit Again! 49But Mike, What If They Trash My Rental or Steal Stuff? 50How Can I See a Vista Rental Home? 51Old School: Submitting the Application Is Your First Critical Step 53CHAPTER 7 A Rental Application Is Your Crystal Ball 57Your Rental Application Process Is by Far the MOST Important Link in Your Rental Business 57Your Rental Application 60Here Comes the Big Boom 61The Rental Application Form 62Why You Can Apply This Very Simple System to Everything You Do in Your Rental Business 69CHAPTER 8 Never Disqualifying an Applicant Keeps You Safe 81If You NEVER Disqualify an Applicant...You Will Reduce Your Odds of a Discrimination Complaint 82CHAPTER 9 Why March 31st Is a Wonderful Day! 85CHAPTER 10 Your Digital Cookie-Cutter Move-In Process 87Always Remember Your Residents Cause Their Own Problems 87CHAPTER 11 Transforming Your Rentals into Tanks and CA$H COW$: "Quality of Your Property Parallels the Quality of Your Tenant" 95Energy Efficiency 95Plumbing and HVAC 96Floor Coverings 97SECTION III GO 100% DIGITAL AFTER THEY MOVE INCHAPTER 12 How to Consistently Get Paid Over 100% of Your Rents Every Month 103Failing to Plan Is Planning to Fail 104Proven Systems Are Time Savers, Money Makers, and Good CYA Programs 104How Do You Treat Your Real Estate Investing...as a Hobby or a Business? 105Work SMARTER, Not Harder! 106"It Doesn't Cost You Anything to Ask a Question" 107Payment Plans and Payment Plan Form 109CHAPTER 13 You Really CAN Teach Pigs to Sing 113CORRESPONDENCE Is Now 100% Digital 118CHAPTER 14 Digital Work Orders and Repair Requests 121CHAPTER 15 Removing Bad Apples 125The Challenge 126Barney Fife: "Nip It in the Bud" 126CHAPTER 16 Mike's Move-Out System Makes You Money 133Do Not Balk at the Idea of a Referral Fee 139SECTION IV MASTER THESE TO MAXIMIZE YOUR INCOME AND PROFITSCHAPTER 17 MARKETING Makes It Happen, Not Advertising 145Referrals 145Business Cards 146Website 150Other Things to Include in Your Website 155Yard Signs 158YOUR BIG PICTURE for Marketing 166CHAPTER 18 PERSONAL SAFETY Is a MUST in Today's World 169Real-World Tragedies 169PERSONAL SAFETY IS a MUST in Today's World 170LIFE IS TOO SHORT! 175CHAPTER 19 Laws, Laws, and More Laws-Oh My! 177Security Deposits 179What's the METHOD TO THIS MADNESS? 180HATS We Wear 181The Ultimate ICING on the Cake! 181What Can You Do? 182School of Hard Knocks 183CHAPTER 20 Your New "Pain-in-the-Butt" Business Partner 187HUD's Section 8 Program: BEWARE! 190CHAPTER 21 Insurance and Environmental Concerns: Rule 1: Always Make Your Resident(s) Buy Renter's Insurance BEFORE You Give Them Keys! 195CHAPTER 22 Biggest Mistakes of Investors 205CHAPTER 23 The Hidden TAX BENEFITS: Especially If You've Got a Job 211Here Comes My TSUNAMI! (A Good Thing) 211So How Does DEPRECIATION Affect Me as an Investor? 213What's the Catch with This Depreciation? 214EARNED INCOME versus PASSIVE INCOME 218In Summary, The Big Picture, The Simple "Cut to the Chase" 219CHAPTER 24 What's Best: Houses, Duplexes, Trailers, Apartments, Commercial, or Dirt? 221Single-Family Houses 221Duplexes and Houses Chopped into Units 224MultiFamily-Apartments 225Mobile Home Parks 230Commercial Property 232Dirt 233Self-Storage 234Marinas, RV Parks, and More 234Winner 235APPENDIX A Recommended Resources for Your Business 237APPENDIX B FORMS and More FORMS 245INDEX 249