I just read the second edition of “Every Landlord’s Guide to Finding Good Tenants” by Janet Portman, author of “Every Landlord’s Guide to Legal.” This book is a great resource for the do-it-yourself new landlord.

The book contains chapters on the following topics:

One: Choosing good tenants makes business sense

Two: Comply with anti-discrimination laws

Three: How to deal with current tenants: before looking for new ones

Four: How to advertise effectively

Five: How should you show your rent?

Six: Preparing Your Rental Application and Screening Materials

Seven: Answer to the initial questions and telephone selection

Eight: Prepare your rental for an open house or showing

Nine: Face to face: showing the rent and negotiating with potential tenants

Ten: Evaluating Rental Applications

Eleven: Verification of applicants’ credit reports

Twelve: Personal, Owner, and Employer Reference Checks

Thirteen: verify the criminal records of the applicants

Fourteen: How to choose and work with a tenant screening agency

Fifteen: Choosing Your New Tenant

Sixteen: How to refuse: what to say, what to write

Again, this book is good for homeowners who choose to do most of the work themselves and owe some rent. It is also very good for the novice or beginner owner. If you are just starting out, this book and “All Landlords’ Legal Guide” can be very helpful.

Some of the information may seem basic to some, or just plain common sense. Well, when you’re just starting a business, and being an owner is a business, there’s a lot to take care of, and it’s nice to have even the simple things outlined in a text so you don’t overlook them. This is especially true for those who are trying to be homeowners on the side.

The indexed book has 465 pages and is easy to read. Nolo really does a good job of providing legal information in a format that is easy for everyone to understand. Portman is the author of several Nolo books, and this is the second of hers that I have read and I like the information she provides. There are extensive sidebars, sample documents, highlights, and charts. It is well designed and easy to read. Also included is a CD-ROM with the book that contains forms and checklists, as well as audio files that have sample dialogues for conducting interviews and more.

This book contains a lot of useful information. If you’re in business, you need to have the information to succeed. This book would go well on any owner’s shelf. It would be part of a collection of books and resources to help with owning a business and how to own it. If you are a landlord, especially if you are a beginning landlord, I suggest you get this book and use Portman’s tips on how to find great tenants.