First-Time Landlord: Your Guide to Renting out a Single-Family Home (USA Today/Nolo Series)

First-Time Landlord: Your Guide to Renting out a Single-Family Ho...

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Editorial Reviews

First-time landlord? Learn landlording fundamentals in this primer.

The declining U.S. economy has forced many homeowners to make tough decisions about their property. If you're one of the millions of Americans affected by the credit crisis, struggling to make your mortgage payments, and are considering renting out your home to make ends meet, you'll need to learn the basics of being a landlord.

Let First-Time Landlord show you how to start your landlording business and maintain it in your spare time. Get the concise information you need to start making money with a single-family home, written for property owners with little business savvy -- and even less time and patience. Learn how to rent out your property lawfully and safely with valuable information on:

  • how to determine whether or not the property will turn a profit
  • landlord business basics
  • finding the right tenants
  • preparing and signing the lease
  • handling repairs
  • complying with your state's rental laws
  • dealing with problem tenants, and
  • preparing for sale of the property.

    From timely tips to true stories from successful landlords, First-Time Landlord is an indispensible book for property owners who want to rent out a single-family home without the hassle -- quickly, efficiently and legally.

Customer Reviews

A good book with a wrong title

Reviewed by Gang Chen, 2009-09-18

"First-Time Landlord: Renting out a Single-Family Home" is a good book with a wrong title. It covers the general process and things that a landlord needs to be aware of. The information applies to all rentals, not just for a Single-Family Home. Condos and townhouses may have some special rules (HOA, CC &R, etc.), but this could have been easily covered in an additional chapter, and make the book much more useful.

It includes 11 chapters:

Is Owning Rental Property for You?
So Happy Together: Landlording with Family or Friends
Preparing and Marketing Your Rental Property
Screening and Choosing Good Tenants
Preparing a Lease and Getting the Tenant Moved In
Manage Your Rental Income to Maximize tax Deductions
Keeping Things Shipshape: Repair and Maintenance
Landlord Liability for Injuries, Crime and More
Living in Perfect harmony? Dealing with Difficult Tenants
Don't Want to Do It Alone? Hiring a Property Manager
Ready to Quit? Existing the Rental Property Business

This book gives you general information on rental property. It may be more helpful if it can give some sample lease, or other standard forms for a landlord to cover the basic of rental agreement, etc. In many states, you can also buy standard lease agreement to modify for your use.

If I am a landlord, I'll like to have general information but I also want the book to be practical and helpful and solve my problems. I'll NOT re-invent a lease agreement based on the info of this book. I'll buy a standard lease agreement and modify it for use. It may be helpful for the book to include the links to buy these standard forms. I agree with another reviewer that Craig's list is one of the most effective tools to advertise your rentals.

Overall, "First-Time Landlord: Renting out a Single-Family Home" is a good book that can help a potential landlord. It gives you general knowledge but can be improved to be more practical and helpful.

Gang Chen, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Author of "LEED GA Exam Guide," "Architectural Practice Simplified," "Planting Design Illustrated," and other books on various LEED exams, architecture, and landscape architecture

Totally Ripped Off

Reviewed by J. Walker, 2009-09-16

My credit card was charged on August 14, 2009. Today is September 16, 2009 and I still have NOT RECEIVED THE BOOK. I contacted the seller and received NO RESPONSE. I found NO LINKS TO THE SELLER or AMAZON when trying to get my money back. I am now convinced to BUY LOCAL to avoid the hassle. This was to be a gift and now the moment is lost. I am disputing the charge with my credit card company. This is a TOTAL WASTE of time and I've been TOTALLY RIPPED OFF!!! First-Time Landlord: Renting out a Single-Family Home (USA Today/Nolo Series)

good for starter information, but you may need more

Reviewed by J. Jacobs, 2009-09-04

This easy-to-read book goes over the basics of renting out a single family home. Most of it is easy to understand and reading the book will provide one with a good base of information.

I was disappointed that this book didn't mention anything specifically related to renting out a part of owner-occupied property and how that situation might be similar to or different from renting out an entire house. Also, the discussion on depreciation of investments and what impact that will have at the time of sale was not well explained.

This is a good book to read for some initial information, but you'll probably need to consult other sources as well.

Kiddie Condo

Reviewed by H. L. Hubbard, 2009-07-06

Our son is in college. We decided to take the plunge and buy a 3 bedroom townhome for his housing and rent the other two bedrooms to other students. This book really helped us get started. A great book for a first-timer!

A Little Bit of Everything

Reviewed by T. Anderson, 2009-06-19

This book steps you through deciding if owning a rental is right for you to selling your rental property and everything in between. Many things seemed to me to be common sense but it nice to confirm I was thinking correctly. The worksheets and checklists are very helpful. Would recommend this book as a good first step in your research about landlording.