Thank you.OWNERSHIP ENTITY- Obtain copy of deed to confirm legal owner- If domestic LLC, confirm annual registration is current & who can legally sign- If foreign LLC, confirm registered in Michigan (where we & property are) & who can legally sign- If Trust, get paperwork showing who can legally sign- Confirm city assesssor & water dept have correct owner & mailing addressPROPERTY- Confirm we are added to insurance policy- Confirm property taxes are current- Lookup public records for property data- Confirm rental license active- Confirm no outstanding permits, assessments, etc.- TakeOver Evaluation Video & Property Data Sheet, share video with owner for possible repairs- Per owner selections on our PMA, have tax docs, water bills, etc. mailed to us.TENANTS- Send tenant(s) Welcome Aboard Package with TakeOver Questionnaire (confirms occupants, pets, how long there, rent rate, security deposit, who owns appliances, etc.)- Review previous rent ledger for patterns to be aware of, note their lease in PMC software- Try to convert to our Lease, to make it easier on our staff (we don't tell tenants they don't have to do this)- Opportunity to renew/extend lease with increase?

Most agents use peak season data year-round, so I always run numbers assuming 10-15% lower occupancy.

Without it you simply don't have enough data. 

META is already an issue. 

I'm calling on Title companies to get a list but learned that they charge a fee for some data

Then I cross reference with actual lease data from similar deals I've done or investors I know in the market.

But honestly, don't just show up empty-handed - bring something valuable like market data on a specific neighborhood or a deal you're analyzing.

This will help you identify location, size of house and max price you should pay based on different variables.If you put this data into a spreadsheet you can play with the numbers for "what if" scenarios.If you find some low producers that just need a remodel, professional pictures or some added amenities you might be able to reach out to these owners and see if you can find a burnt out STR owner that would rather sell, then you make the changes you see they need to improve the rental house's numbers.

Because I really wanted to access to the data anytime I want and not have to ask someone else for it, I got my license and have affiliated myself with a broker that specializes in agents who are investors.

@Alex Hauser's example above is a good real-world data point — waiting paid off.On whether it's worth it for 2–4 units: the cost-benefit really depends on your depreciable basis (purchase price minus land), your tax situation, and whether you can actually use the losses.