10 Rental Property Tax Mistakes Landlords Make, and the Fix for Each
The tax mistakes that cost small landlords most: skipped depreciation, repairs vs improvements, deposits, passive losses, 1099s and records. Not tax advice.
Guides
The long answers.
Leases, rent, cap rates, taxes and bank accounts, in plain English. Every guide works through real numbers and links the free tool that runs yours.
30-Day Notice to Vacate: The Rules, the Timing and What to Write
A 30-day notice to vacate ends a month-to-month tenancy. When 30 days is enough, how to count them, what the letter says, and the states that ask for more.
Bank Accounts for Rental Property: 10 Things to Look For
What makes a good bank account for a rental: no minimum balance, free ACH, one account per job, clear records and a legal home for deposits. No bank ads.
Cap Rate: The Formula, a Worked Example and What Counts as Good
Cap rate is NOI divided by price. The formula three ways, a fourplex worked from rent to cap rate, the ways a listing inflates it, and how to read the result.
Cash for Keys: How It Works, How Much to Offer and What to Put in Writing
Cash for keys is a landlord paying a tenant to leave by a set date instead of going to court. How the deal works, what it costs, and the terms to write down.
Do You Need a Separate Bank Account for Your Rental Property?
Usually yes, and in some states the law decides for you. Why mixing rent with personal money causes tax, deposit-law and LLC trouble, and how to split them.
How Much Should I Charge for Rent? Set a Price That Rents and Pays
Price rent from what similar nearby homes actually rent for, then check it against your renters’ incomes and your own costs. A worked example, step by step.
How to Negotiate Rent, Before You Sign and at Renewal
Yes, you can negotiate rent. When you have leverage, what to ask for, what to offer back, and a sample message for a new lease or a renewal increase.
How to Prorate Rent When Moving Out, With the Math Shown
Moving out mid-month? Prorated rent is the monthly rent divided by the days in the month, times the days you keep the place. The methods, and when it applies.
How to Raise Rent Without Losing Good Tenants
Raise rent the way good tenants accept it: near market, with more notice than the law asks, and in writing. The turnover math, state rules and what to write.
Lease Agreements: What Every Clause Means, in Plain English
A home lease, clause by clause: parties, term, rent, deposit, repairs, entry, pets, subletting, ending early and moving out, and what each part means for you.
Lessor vs Lessee: Who Is Who in a Lease, and Who Owes What
The lessor owns the property and grants the lease; the lessee pays to use it. How to keep the two straight, and what each one owes the other.
Moving Out: The Renter’s Checklist for Getting Your Deposit Back
Nine steps, from the notice to the refund, that get a security deposit back in full: what to clean, what to photograph, and what to do if it doesn’t come back.
Net Operating Income (NOI) in Real Estate: Definition and Calculation
NOI is a rental’s yearly income after vacancy and operating costs, before the mortgage. The formula, a duplex worked line by line, and what NOI leaves out.
Rent or Buy a House in 2026: The Honest Math
Buying beats renting only if you stay long enough. A worked 2026 example, year by year: the monthly bills, the break-even point and what moves it.
Rent Payment Reversals and NSF Fees: What Happens When Rent Bounces
A bounced or reversed rent payment counts as unpaid rent. What a landlord can charge, how the late fee stacks, and how long checks, transfers and cards take.
Residential vs Commercial Rental Property: Which Is the Better Investment?
Residential rentals are easier to finance and fill; commercial pays more per dollar and shifts costs to tenants. The numbers, leases and risks side by side.
Support Animals in Rentals: Rights and Responsibilities
Under the Fair Housing Act, an assistance animal is not a pet: no pet deposit or pet rent. How requests work, what a landlord can ask, and when one can say no.