As the OP said there is always the urgency to get a place rented ASAP. I learned a very hard lesson this year. When you get in a hurry to get a place rented and bend or break your own rules for qualifying potential tenants. You risk destroyed property. Which is what happened in my case. While digesting all the damage we found I did the math and realized I could have let the home sit empty for 2 years and would have come out ahead. So in my rush and stupidity I allowed a family of tenants cost me in 9 months what will take me 2 years to make back. STUPID!!

In the past every time a property became empty I went into crisis mode. Can't explain why other than to say when we first started our LL business we were really strapped and then it was necessary but after 16 years of good luck with tenants and I think some good management we are no longer so strapped and there is no crisis but I still operated the same way, especially if it was late in the season (fall/winter).

The home we re-built is still vacant after finishing repairs around Oct. 1st. I am happy to say there is no crisis here. I will let it sit empty until the right qualified tenant/tenants come along.