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Landlord

6 Stessa Alternatives for Better Leasing and Compliance

Stessa is a financial tracking platform for rental property owners, with automated bookkeeping and Zillow listing distribution. Where landlords tend to outgrow it is pricing and compliance. Leases and e-signing require the Pro plan at $28/month, and the platform does not automate the denial notice that federal law requires when you turn down an applicant based on a screening report. This guide compares five Stessa alternatives on cost, screening, compliance, and the details that matter as your portfolio grows. RentSpree offers a comparable workflow at a lower cost: Landlord PRO runs $6.99/month billed annually with leases, e-sign, and free rent payment collection included, and automated denial notices are built into every plan, including the free tier.

Smiling woman with dark hair wearing striped blazer and gold necklace, standing outside near a wooden structure.
Kimberly Mingo
Landlord

How to verify tenant employment (and reduce income fraud)

Employment verification helps you check where an applicant works, while income verification confirms how much they earn. Both can help you evaluate the information an applicant provides against the criteria you've set for your rental. You can verify employment by contacting an employer directly, then verify income through financial documents or bank-connected income data. RentSpree brings the application, screening reports, income verification, and reference checks together in one place. Bank-connected income verification pulls deposit data directly from an applicant's financial institution, so you're not relying on documents that could be altered.

Smiling woman with dark hair wearing striped blazer and gold necklace, standing outside near a wooden structure.
Kimberly Mingo
Landlord

Credit checks for tenants: what landlords need to know

Most landlords check the credit score and stop there. Knowing how to read that data, set documented criteria around it, and handle denials correctly is what separates a confident screening decision from a costly one. RentSpree's screening includes a TransUnion credit report with ResidentScore on every application, with most results back in two hours.

Smiling woman with dark hair wearing striped blazer and gold necklace, standing outside near a wooden structure.
Kimberly Mingo

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Landlord

Criminal background checks for tenants: a compliant screening guide

A criminal background check for tenants can provide information about an applicant's criminal history as part of the tenant screening process. Landlords and agents placing tenants often review criminal history alongside credit, eviction history, income, and information from the rental application. Federal fair housing guidance and some state and local laws affect when criminal history can be reviewed, how far back a landlord can consider certain records, and how it can factor into a rental decision. Some jurisdictions, for example, require landlords to make a conditional offer before reviewing an applicant's criminal history. With RentSpree, landlords and agents can request criminal, credit, and eviction reports together through TransUnion, with conditional acceptance available in many markets where it's required.

Close-up of a man with short dark hair and beard smiling in front of a green and white abstract background.
Michael Rauch
General Counsel
California real estate rental application fees
Landlord

California rental application fees: 2026 rules and limits

California landlords (and agents assisting property owners with their rentals) can charge a rental application screening fee, but Civil Code section 1950.6 sets the limits. For 2026, the maximum is $65.86 per applicant in California. You can only charge when a unit is available, and only up to your actual screening costs. Since AB 2493 took effect in 2025, you must either approve the first qualified applicant or refund the fee to anyone you do not select. You also owe applicants an itemized receipt and a copy of any credit report you pull. RentSpree lets you collect California applications and screen within that cap from one dashboard, free for landlords and agents to set up.

Close-up of a man with short dark hair, light beard, and a slight smile, against a green background.
Michael Rauch
Two people shaking hands over a model house, a contract, and keys on a table.
Landlord

TransUnion SmartMove Report: What It Shows

A TransUnion SmartMove report is one of the screening options landlords and rental agents compare. This guide covers what each of the 3 packages includes and costs, how to read the credit report and the criminal background check, and how a SmartMove report lines up against a RentSpree screening report.

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RentSpree Staff
Landlord

How to check eviction history before signing a lease

Eviction history is one of the most important parts of tenant screening, but seeing a record on a report shouldn't be the end of the evaluation. A case that was dismissed, a one-time hardship that led to a filing, and a pattern of nonpayment all carry different levels of risk, and the details are in the report if you know what to look for. Landlords who make smarter screening decisions aren't just pulling records. They're evaluating context, applying consistent criteria, and staying on the right side of federal screening laws. RentSpree's TransUnion-powered screening reports bundle eviction history with credit and criminal data in a single request. Automated federal compliance notices are built into the workflow, so you can move from report to decision without the guesswork.

Smiling woman with dark hair wearing striped blazer and gold necklace, standing outside near a wooden structure.
Kimberly Mingo
Landlord

How to rent my house: a complete guide for landlords

Renting out your house can generate steady income, but the steps between deciding to rent and collecting your first payment involve more compliance, screening, and legal responsibility than most first-time landlords expect. This guide covers how to price your home, find qualified tenants, handle denials the right way, and set up a lease and rent collection process that holds up long-term. RentSpree lets you manage it all from a single account, with no subscription required, at a fraction of the cost of a property management company.

Smiling woman with dark hair wearing striped blazer and gold necklace, standing outside near a wooden structure.
Kimberly Mingo
Landlord

Tenant background check in Florida

A Florida tenant background check typically includes credit, criminal, and eviction history, with income verification available as an additional screening step. Florida doesn't cap rental application fees or place state-level limits on criminal history screening, and eviction filings become part of the public court record even if a case doesn't result in an eviction. State law also prevents cities from creating their own tenant screening requirements. This guide covers what Florida landlords need to know, how to evaluate screening results, and how RentSpree can help manage the process from application to decision.

Smiling woman with dark hair wearing striped blazer and gold necklace, standing outside near a wooden structure.
Kimberly Mingo
Landlord

Tenant background check in California

A California tenant background check can include credit, criminal, and eviction history, along with optional income verification. California also has specific rules around screening fees, criminal and credit history, disclosures, and how applications are reviewed. This guide covers what landlords need to know and how RentSpree can help manage the screening process from application to decision.

Smiling woman with dark hair wearing striped blazer and gold necklace, standing outside near a wooden structure.
Kimberly Mingo
Landlord

Guide to rental application fees: what to know and how to stay compliant

The difference between a basic credit check and a thorough tenant screening report can be the difference between a reliable tenant and an expensive mistake. RentSpree includes screening on the free plan, with the applicant typically covering the cost (you can also cover it yourself; some jurisdictions limit or prohibit passing the fee). Bank-verified income verification is available as a $10 add-on paid by the applicant.

Smiling woman with dark hair wearing striped blazer and gold necklace, standing outside near a wooden structure.
Kimberly Mingo
Landlord

Background checks for renters: how-to screening guide

Most tenant screening services pull from the same databases, so background check reports tend to look similar. What actually separates a confident screening decision from a costly mistake is the process around those reports: setting documented criteria before you list, understanding what criminal, credit, eviction, and income reports do and don't tell you, and handling the compliance steps that carry real legal risk. RentSpree automates compliance and verifies income directly with the applicant's bank, so you're not relying on pay stubs that can be doctored.

Smiling woman with dark hair wearing striped blazer and gold necklace, standing outside near a wooden structure.
Kimberly Mingo