I will improve my tenant screening practices
The proper selection of a tenant is, bar none, the greatest determinant of landlording success. Improper selection of a tenant can lead to months of unpaid rent, thousands of dollars in damage, and a toxic rental community that drives out good tenants.
This has been an immutable truth at every time and era, but becomes more important in 2026 because of California’s increasing fixation on housing discrimination and transparency in fees and disclosures. Moreover, we have seen a proliferation of applicants embellishing their history, if not lying about who they are. The resurgence of demand for rentals in the Bay Area makes it a landlord’s market, and with so many prospective tenants vying for the same apartments, it is commonplace for housing providers and their agents to encounter fraudulent applications.
Tenant screening begins with first establishing clear and consistent criteria, with an emphasis on uniform rules that apply to all applicants so as to avoid claims that the landlord or property manager is expressing a preference for a certain group or is excluding others. While the marvels of technology can identify red flags in a prospective tenant’s past, many rental risks can be concealed. This makes it imperative to use some old-fashioned personal sleuthing, like checking landlord references.