Built for owners of 1–50 units
Be the landlord who never gets bitten.
Clear, sourced guides on screening tenants, setting rent, handling deposits, staying legal, and keeping more of what you earn. No jargon. No fluff.
- Plain-English
- Linked to official sources
- Dated & reviewed
Landlord safety checklist
- Insurance and mortgage check
- Written screening criteria
- State-specific lease
- Move-in inspection photos
- Separate bank account
Landlord numbers worth knowing
Latest guides
Latest guides
A path for every landlord
From first listing to tax time, in four steps
- 1
Get set up
Insurance, legal structure, lease, and the paperwork to have in place before anyone moves in.
Read: First-Time Landlord Checklist - 2
Find the right tenant
Write criteria, run checks, and follow fair housing rules so every decision is defensible.
Read: How to Screen Tenants the Right Way - 3
Manage rent & deposits
Raise rent properly and handle deposits, deadlines, and deductions without surprises.
Read: Security Deposits - 4
Keep more of what you earn
Depreciation, repairs vs improvements, and the records your tax preparer will ask for.
Read: Landlord Tax Deductions
Browse by topic
Everything a small landlord needs to know
- 10 guidesScreening & LeasingFind good tenants and write leases that protect you.Adverse Action Notices: When Landlords Must Send One
- 9 guidesRent & FinancesSet rent, collect it, and keep your numbers healthy.Managing Vacancies and Turnover Time to Protect Cash Flow
- 8 guidesMaintenanceKeep properties in shape without overspending.How to Hire a Contractor for Your Rental Property
- 12 guidesLegal & EvictionsNotices, deposits, fair housing, and eviction basics.Lease Termination and Early Breaks: How a Tenancy Can End
- 9 guidesTaxesDeductions, depreciation, and record-keeping.1031 Exchange Basics for Rental Property Owners
- 6 guidesProperty ManagementSystems for self-managing or hiring help.Rental Property Software: What to Look For and How to Compare
- 8 guidesStarting OutFirst-time landlord guides and checklists.The Accidental Landlord: Inherited or Kept a House to Rent
Coming soon
State-by-state landlord guides
Deposit limits, notice periods, late-fee rules, and eviction steps for each state, with links to the statutes.
Coming soon
Free landlord calculators & templates
Rent-increase, ROI, and deposit calculators, plus lease checklists and notice templates you can download.
Why LandlordShark
Advice you can check, written for owners like you
Built for small landlords
Most advice targets big property managers. We write for owners with a handful of units and no legal department.
Sources, not guesswork
Legal and tax points link to the statute, agency, or official guidance behind them so you can verify.
Dated and reviewed
Rules change. Every guide shows when it was published, updated, and last reviewed.
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