Recent Articles
6 Rental Trends that Landlords May Face in 2018
Find out what landlords might expect for 2018. From rental property supply to renter creditworthiness to millennial rental trends.
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5 Reasons Why Landlords Should Require Renters Insurance
Should landlords require tenants to have renters insurance? Learn more about benefits of renters insurance for both landlords and renters.
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![How to Screen a Tenant [Infographic]](http://res.cloudinary.com/dvrhnvuqs/image/upload/v1520273035/Blog/how-screen-update-thumb.jpg "How to Screen a Tenant [Infographic]")
How to Screen a Tenant
Infographic shows 5 major steps you need to consider when screening potential tenants. Great resource for seasoned or new property owners.
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Pros and Cons of Renting To College Students
Renting to college students can introduce more risk but can be a very good investment for landlords. Learn more about what to consider.
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How to Properly Maintain Your Rental Property
Proper rental unit upkeep helps avoid costly repairs and renter turnover. Consider regular inspections, having repair budget and outsourcing.
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How to Manage Your Property Managers: Tips from a Pro
Learn pro tips about managing property managers from professional real estate investor Ali Boone. Pro’s & Con’s discussed, advice on hiring and more!
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10 Ways to Effectively Negotiate A Lease Renewal
Reduce your stress with our 10 tips on how to effectively negotiate a lease renewal with a good tenant that can result in a win-win.
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Are Smoke Alarms Required in Rental Properties?
Should smoke alarms be installed in your rental properties? Find out and learn more about upkeep, types of alarms and other tips.
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How to Become A Landlord: 23 Things to Consider
Considering becoming a landlord? Consider these 23 aspects from selecting a property, vetting tenants, setting rental prices, and more.
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Pros and Cons of Allowing Pets in Rental Properties
How should landlords screen tenants who have pets? Learn advantages and disadvantages of allowing pets and what key aspects to consider.
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How to Manage Rental Property Like A Pro
Interested in DIY rental property management? Get tips on how to manage key aspects related to tenants, the property and your bottom line.
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10 Best Tenant Screening Articles of 2017
Curated selection of our most popular articles. Read industry research, market trend updates, DIY landlord advice, tenant screening tips and more.
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The Landlord’s Guide to Cosigners
Using a cosigner for a lease? Find out what to consider and when it is advantageous to use a cosigner agreement for your next lease.
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5 Landlord Horror Stories (and How to Avoid Them)
Examine real-life horror stories from of the top landlords in the business and how they survived them. Valuable tips and takeaways.
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The Rise of Homeownership: Should Landlords be Worried?
What is the impact to the rental housing market as homeownership ticks up off of historical lows? Should landlords be worried ?
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![Tenant Turnover, Cost, And How to Avoid It [INFOGRAPHIC] | SmartMove](http://gallery.mailchimp.com/d5f3b54c6da103e5b391560f5/images/4fe5c889-4f29-4ab1-9b90-1bedc194bab5.jpg "Tenant Turnover, Cost, And How to Avoid It [INFOGRAPHIC] | SmartMove")
Tenant Turnover, Cost, And How to Avoid It [INFOGRAPHIC]
TransUnion infographic highlights research on costs of tenant turnover as well as underlying reasons why renters move. Plus tips on how to avoid tenant turnover.
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What You Should Know About Renewing a Rental Lease Agreement
Landlords should weigh pros and cons when renewing a lease. Learn when it makes sense to renew or terminate. Plus discover tips on negotiating a new lease.
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What Is A “Bad” Credit Score?
Learn about credit score ranges, how ResidentScore can help predict bad rental outcomes, and other factors landlords consider when evaluating renters.
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How to Write an Effective Rental Ad
Rental listings featuring a catchy headline that highlight key amenities with high-quality photos increase your odds of finding a great tenant fast.
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Real Estate Investing Tips from a Pro with Seth Williams
Seth Williams of ReTipster shares tips on being a successful landlord. Read about his investment criteria, lessons learned & other landlord advice.
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How To Hire A Property Manager
Learn what is involved in the decision to hire a property manager, and weigh benefits of outsourcing rental property management vs. doing it yourself.
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How to Handle the 4 Most Common Tenant Complaints
Happy tenants often mean less turnover and more consistent rental income. Learn the 4 most common tenant complaints and how to quickly resolve them.
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How To Manage A Month-To-Month Rental Agreement
Learn about subleases, examine pros and cons of sublets, and review factors why landlords might consider subletting their rental unit.
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The Landlord's Guide to Subletting
Learn about subleases, examine pros and cons of sublets, and review factors why landlords might consider subletting their rental unit.
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![Landlord Survey & Rental Market Insights [INFOGRAPHIC] | SmartMove](http://gallery.mailchimp.com/d5f3b54c6da103e5b391560f5/images/53ba7c10-8804-4deb-bb7a-ffe62ab093d9.jpg "Landlord Survey & Rental Market Insights [INFOGRAPHIC] | SmartMove")
TransUnion Independent Landlord Survey Insights
This infographic illustrates TransUnion findings from an independent landlord survey about current rental market conditions and trends.
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4 Responsibilities Every Landlord Should Know
Learn about 4 responsibilities that landlords should address to keep their tenants happy and rental property business working well.
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Trends in Multi-Family vs. Single-Family Rentals: Which One is Right for You?
Review of current rental housing market trends and the outlook for to single-family home properties and multi-family units.
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How to Check for Evictions and Why You Should
Evictions are time-consuming and costly for landlords. Find out what you can do to prevent evictions and how to review a tenant’s rental history.
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Property Management Advice from the Pros
SmartMove interviewed 15 property managers who offer advice for new landlords on avoiding mistakes, screening tenants, and finding investment property.
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The Anatomy of a Millennial Renter
Infographic examines millennial characteristics and rental housing trends. Lifestyle and values, housing types, and life milestones are shaping choices.
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5 Reasons Why Online Rent Payment is More Convenient for Landlords and Tenants
Have you implemented online rent pay? Read 5 reasons why landlords should adopt online rent payment to make their business more efficient.
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Landlord Survey: Optimism In Renting Your Property
TransUnion survey of landlords summarizes attitudes, technology use, rental property trends, and their outlook for the rental housing market.
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The Anatomy of a Baby Boomer Renter
Infographic examines baby boomer characteristics and rental housing trends. Lifestyle and values, housing types, and life milestones are shaping choices.
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How To Attract and Keep Today’s Renter
Explore TransUnion’s infographic on how to attract tenants, understand what they are looking for in a rental property, and what you can do to retain them.
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64 Essential Online Landlord Resources
Using the right resources can mean the difference between profit or loss. Read 64 resources from property management to tenant screening to taxes & more!
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How To Perform A Rental Property Inspection
As a landlord, performing property inspections is an important part of your job. Even if you have a great tenant, routine inspections can help prevent big problems down the road.
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5 Tools Landlords Need To Find Quality Tenants
5 landlord tools to fill vacancies faster & find quality renters. Tools cover promoting your unit to screening renters to setting competitive rent.
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Rental Property Investment Trends in 2017
TransUnion reviews rental property investment markets in the U.S. and explores recent trends and drivers behind their growth.
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50 Industry Experts Every Landlord Should Follow On Twitter
Landlords can stay abreast of the latest rental property market trends, breaking news and property owner tips by following these 50 industry experts.
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How To Determine Fair Market Rent
Find out what goes into determining the going rate for rents in your area to balance maximzing your profit and avoiding long vacancies.
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How to Set Up Your Property Management Business For Success
Tips on how to setup your property management business. Productivity tools, regulatory concerns and using expert advice are essential.
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![Tenant Screening Cost-Benefit Analysis [Infographic] | SmartMove](http://gallery.mailchimp.com/d5f3b54c6da103e5b391560f5/images/fd069a54-6848-4ab9-89f0-2a0da76d7fa3.jpeg "Tenant Screening Cost-Benefit Analysis [Infographic] | SmartMove")
Tenant Screening: A Cost-Benefit Analysis
TransUnion examines cost of tenant screening vs. potential cost of rental hazards. $35 screening fee could save $3,500 in eviction costs.
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26 Renting Statistics That Every Landlord Needs To Know
Landlords need to know the rental market, rent prices, tenants & more. Our infographic showcases 26 rental stats to help you stay ahead of the game.
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Top Rental Property Amenities & Features Tenants Want
If you’re looking to charge top dollar for your rental and attract premium tenants, consider adding these amenities and features into your property.
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15 Tax Deductions Landlords Could Use in April
Minimize your tax bill by taking these 15 potential tax advantages to owning rental property into consideration as you prepare your return.
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How to Raise Rent Without Complaints
Landlords need a solid communication plan and have the facts when raising rent at lease renewal. Read our 4-step guide to raise rent... with no tenant complaints.
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4 Important Ways Today’s Renters Have Changed In 2017
Renter credit-worthiness, demographics and age, income levels, and housing preference are shifting. Find out why it matters for landlords.
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5 Ways Landlords Can Maximize Their Rental Income
Read our 5 easy tips to boost your rental profits from picking better tenants to charging for storage to lowering your energy bill with solar panels.
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5 Ways to Keep Your Best Tenants from Leaving
5 easy-to-follow tips on how to keep your good tenants happy, maintain a good relationship and prevent them from leaving your rental property.
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How to Qualify and Deny Rental Applicants the Right Way
Make your tenant screening process more consistent with our list of 7 reasons to qualify applicants and 5 reasons to reject those who aren't a fit.
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The True Cost Of An Eviction
Evictions are expensive, averaging $3,500 and can balloon to $10,000. TransUnion's infographic that breaks out all costs from legal fees to lost rent.
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The Top 5 Tenant Screening Mistakes You Can’t Afford To Make
Choosing the wrong tenant can drain your rental profits. Learn these 5 costly mistakes, and how to avoid them, to make more informed leasing decisions.
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Benefits of Owning Rental Property: 6 Reasons Why You Should Invest
More Americans choose to rent now & investors can capitalize by owning rental property. Learn 6 financial perks & other benefits to becoming a landlord.
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How To Reduce Vacancies: 4 Ways To Rent Out Your Property Quickly
Get 4 great strategies to reduce rental property vacancy, without skipping tenant screening, meeting the tenant in person and checking their references.
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5 Big Risks Of Owning Rental Property That Every Landlord Should Know
Owning rental property can be profitable. But all investments carry risk. Know top risks of rental property investing, and what to do to overcome them.
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6 Rental Statistics Every Landlord Needs To Know Today
Six statistics landlords need to know about local & national trends for decisions on real estate purchases, rent pricing, tenant screening and more!
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7 Tenant Screening Warning Signs That Aren’t So Obvious
Good tenant screening should include a credit check, eviction history and background report. But there are less obvious aspects to evaluate.
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5 Biggest Mistakes Landlords Make That Can Kill Profit
Owning rental property can earn a good return on your investment. Be sure to avoid these 5 mistakes that can eat into your rental profits.
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State Of The U.S. Rental Market in 2016
Infographic on the state of U.S. rental market. Many switched to rent housing. Homeownership rates, rental prices, renter demographic trends.
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Top 10 Best Tenant Screening Articles 2016
Curated selection of our most popular articles on tenant screening. Screening guides, Industry Research, Top benefits, Biggest mistakes to avoid & more.
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What It Really Means to Conduct a Tenant Criminal Background Check
Nearly 1 in 5 people screened by SmartMove in 2015 had a criminal hit on their record. Find out what is involved to conduct a tenant background check.
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9 Ways To Maximize Profit On Your Rental Property
Small, everyday landlord actions can help your bottom line. From screening tenants to changing air filters, follow these 9 tips to boost rental profits.
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7 Stress-Free Tips for Finding and Renting Out Your First Rental Property
Thinking about becoming a property owner? Read our simple tips prior to buying and renting out a property to get the most out of your new investment.
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4 Reasons Landlords Might Reject an Applicant with Good Credit History
Applicants with good credit scores may not be suitable for your rental property. Find out what else to look for during your tenant screening.
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6 Questions to Ask When Screening Tenants
Thorough tenant screening is vital to find great tenants. Read six “must-ask” questions you should ask applicants to determine suitability as a renter.
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7 Steps to Reducing Payment Problems with Tenants
A TransUnion survey revealed renter payment problems are landlord’s biggest concern. Find out what you can do to reduce payment problems in 7 easy steps.
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4 Things to Check Before Disqualifying an Applicant with a Low Credit Score
A low credit score may not disqualify your applicant. Get the story behind the credit score. Review current income, rental history, etc..
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The 5 Most Important Reasons to Screen Rental Applicants
Don't put your rental income at risk! Read top 5 reasons why landlords should conduct credit, criminal & eviction tenant screening check on applicants.
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Landlords Reveal the 4 Most Important Tenant Screening Factors
TransUnion SmartMove recently surveyed 4,000 landlords. Results confirm 4 major tenant screening factors as top screening concerns.
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Beginner's Guide To Owning Rental Property
Infographic highlights aspects beginner landlords should consider when buying property, remodeling to maximize profit, and screening renters.
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11 Things Tenants Look For In A Property
Increase your chances of finding great tenants by offering features like outdoor space, security, parking, etc.. To help your rental stand out.
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How To Be A Great Landlord From A Renter’s Perspective
Get landlord tips on how to maintain a good relationship with tenants in order to reduce your stress and maximize your return.
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The Top 11 Benefits of Online Tenant Screening
Learn about the top benefits of online tenant screening to include convenience, full reports in minutes, maintain compliance, ID verification, and more!
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9 Must-Know Tips for First Time Landlords
Being a new landlord can be tough. We will guide you with finding and screening tenants, creating a rental agreement, collecting rent, etc..
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3 Ways To Check A Rental Applicant’s Credit
Evaluating an applicant’s credit is an important part of the tenant screening process. Find out 3 ways you can access an applicant's credit history.
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The True Cost of an Eviction
Try to avoid an expensive and time-consuming eviction process with good tenant screening upfront. Learn about all-in costs to evict a problem tenant.
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Quick Guide to Tenant Screening
Picking a great tenant is important to your rental property success. This quick guide outlines important tenant screening tips to consider.
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Top Mistakes New Landlords Make When Picking Tenants
Learn about top mistakes new landlords make when selecting tenants and how to avoid those pitfalls from Real Estate investor, Mark Ferguson.
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How to Read a Credit Report for Landlord Tenant Screening
Examine the five components of a TransUnion credit report and how Landlords can use this data to make an informed decision about a potential tenant.
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How To Find Good Tenants For Your Rental Property
Finding good tenants can be stressful for landlords. There are important things you need to do to attract the best tenants.
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SmartMove’s ResidentScore vs. a typical credit score: which is better?
ResidentScore is designed specifically for rental screening to provide a more accurate assessment of tenant risk than a typical credit score.
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4 Common Types of Landlords TransUnion Research
Infographic highlights TransUnion research on US landlords that identified 4 types of landlords prevalent in the US and their defining characteristics.
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TransUnion Research on Landlord Characteristics
Infographic highlights TransUnion qualitative and quantitative research on landlord characteristics - renting stats, motivation to be a landlord and more.
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HUD'S New Guidance For Criminal and Background Screening
HUD guidance encourages landlords to review specifics of applicant criminal history during tenant screening process. Find out what it means for you.
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TransUnion Research On Renter Characteristics
Infographic highlights TransUnion qualitative and quantitative research on renter characteristics - average credit score, why choose to rent and more.
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5 Most Common Types of Renters [INFOGRAPHIC]
Infographic highlights TransUnion research on US renters that identified 5 types of renters prevalent in the US and their defining characteristics.
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7 Warning Signs To Look For On Tenant Screening Reports
What information on a tenant screening report should really concern a landlord? Check out these 7 red flags to pay attention to when reviewing reports.
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4 Ways to Streamline Your Landlord Activities with a Mobile-first Approach
You can streamline landlord your tasks and stay organized by leveraging your mobile phone with our 4 easy tips. Learn more now.
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Top 7 Ways SmartMove Is Convenient For Property Owners
Find out how SmartMove tenant screening provides convenience for property owners. All online, no memberships, fast report delivery and more!
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Renter Credit Risk Improves as Rental Prices Rise, Study Finds
Rental prices across the U.S. increased 4% in 2013, and credit risk of residents in those properties improved, according to TransUnion Study.
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Non-Payment is Top Landlord Concern, TransUnion Study Finds
The #1 concern among independent landlords is non-payment of rent according to a recent TransUnion Study. Read the whole list of top concerns.
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Improvements to SmartMove Website Provide Cutting-Edge Tenant Screening to Independent Landlords
SmartMove launched a series of enhancements that improve user experience. Rebuilt application process, more intuitive navigation, enhanced email notifications, and more.
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Americans Have “Little to No Understanding” of Credit Scoring According to TransUnion Study; May Negatively Impact Renters Applying for a Property
Nearly three-quarters of Americans do not understand how credit scoring works or that there are many types of credit scoring models on the market.
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