Brendon OConnor

I've spent more than 20 years in residential lending, and the industry taught me most of what I know about evaluating financial strength, reading risk, and verifying information carefully enough to catch fraud before it becomes a problem. My tenants have taught me the rest. I used to think owning rentals was primarily a real estate business. Over time I've learned it's really a people business. Choosing the right tenant isn't about chasing a perfect credit score — it's about understanding the full picture, verifying what actually matters, and building a relationship that works for both sides. These days I manage my own rentals from Costa Rica, which has only reinforced how much a good process matters more than being able to drive by the property. I'm also the founder of Mint Tenant, a tool I'm building to help independent landlords look beyond a credit score and evaluate the bigger picture more consistently. I'm here to keep learning from other landlords, swap notes, and help think through tricky applicant situations if it's useful. Brendon-