Tenant Screening Secrets for NYC Landlords

Abel sits down with Lydia, a property manager and multifamily investor who relocated from San Francisco to New York. They discuss multifamily acquisitions in Queens, NY (Astoria), and acquiring a property management business. If anyone says moving to NY, investing in NY, and owning a business in NY are goals of theirs, ask if they'd consider doing all 3... simultaneously! Lydia has navigated tenant screening, vacancies, and more in some of the most tenant-friendly states in the country. This is one of the most honest and practical conversations about New York real estate you'll find. Whether you're a first-time investor, an out-of-state landlord, or someone considering scaling a rental portfolio in NYC, Lydia's experiences offer several gems to jot down and implement. 🔔 Subscribe for weekly real estate content 📲 @rebuildrealestateteam CHAPTERS & TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 — Intro: Meet Lydia: from San Francisco to NYC investing 1:15 — Why she chose New York over other big cities 2:15 — San Francisco condo vs. NYC multifamily 3:15 — Self-managing & renting to people you know 4:00 — Why cash flow pushed them toward NYC multifamily 5:00 — Searching for the right deal 6:30 — Closing on a 3-family in Astoria 7:45 — The NYC eviction process: real timelines and what no one tells you 10:00 — Should you collect rent during an eviction in New York? 11:30 — Capital reserves: how much you actually need as a small landlord 13:00 — What landlords commonly overlook in property management 13:45 — Water damage: the silent killer of NYC investment properties 15:30 — Virtual inspections and monthly tenant check-ins 17:30 — Handling noise complaints and tenant disputes the right way 21:30 — Tenant screening: fair housing, credit, eviction history & references 23:00 — Red flags to watch for during the screening process 24:30 — How to verify landlord references (and catch fake ones) 25:30 — What you can and can't ask tenants about who will live in the unit 28:00 — Emotional support animals & NYC landlord rights 30:00 — Professional tenants: what that term really means 31:30 — HPD resources and landlord compliance in NYC 34:00 — How to screen a property management company 36:20 — The wildest thing Lydia has ever seen on a rental application 37:00 — Paying rent with counterfeit bills 38:00 — Why property management has always been Lydia's passion 41:00 — How to attract and keep the best tenants in your building 43:00 — Shoutout to Pristine Property Maintenance & John Rosario 44:00 — Final advice for tenants and landlords Schedule A Call calendly.com/go-rebuild/call BiggerPockets biggerpockets.com/co/REbuild Instagram   / gorebuild   #LandlordTips #PropertyManagement #REbuildRealEstate #househacknewyork