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When you buy or renovate your first investment home, you don't immediately adopt all the typical opinions of a strict landlord. If you are an animal lover, you will always love animals and understand how much renters need homes that are welcoming to pets. Pet-friendly landlords are the reason why children can have family pets before their parents have saved up for a home down payment. Pet-friendly landlords are the reason college students have pets to keep them company after they leave home, and why thousands of pets are adopted from shelters by renters each year.

There have been many discussions about how wise it is to keep pets in apartments. Dogs take a great deal of care and even the most attentive owners still have to clean up a mess. Cats, lauded as they are for apartment living, still leave copious amounts of fur in the carpets and occasionally puke or hack up a hairball. However, for the pet owner that doesn't need a lot of snuggly mass, there are dozens of possible pets that never need to touch the ground. Terrarium, aquarium, and cage pets can have a wonderful time in apartments because their own homes are so much smaller. If you're considering buying yourself a little animal companionship for your apartment dwelling lifestyle, here are five potential options that could keep you company without wrecking the carpets.

When you become a landlord, it is up to you to decide what you will and will not allow in your apartments. While many people have an idea of rules that they want in place, others don’t really know where to start. You should really take your time at this stage of planning to ensure that you are happy with your choices.

Renting to pet owners is a great way to gain more prospects for your rental. More options allow you to have high qualifying standards without long-term vacancies.

Yet, there is a downside. Pets can damage the property. You don't want to be stuck holding the bill for that. So, how can you allow pets in your rental and remain in the black?

The rental lease is a time-honored tradition and mutual legal protection between landlords and their tenants. The lease defines the responsibilities of both parties; from the security deposit terms to the landlord's duty to provide timely repairs. While the tenant has a chance to look over the lease before signing, ultimately it's up to the landlord to draw up a lease that not only covers the basics but also covers all bases in the landlord-tenant relationship.