My brother owned an apartment building in downtown Buffalo. This article rings true.
He had 4 consecutive instanses of people moving in and paying the first month rent- then never paying again. It tok him months to get them out, and then they left with TV's VCR's etc etc...
When the 5th one refused to hand over welfare rental assistance payment (claiming she wasnt getting them) my brother went there on the 1st of the month when the mailman arrived.
The first 4 tenants were lined up waiting for the checks they were still receiving at that address to arrive.
K,
My wife and I just bought a house earlier this year.
She was really leaning toward buying a multi-family to ensure some income. I told her I wanted nothing to do with tenants, and stories like your brother's are why.
I work 2 jobs (3 this week, actually- yeah, improving economy!) to afford our place, which is nothing spectacular. But it's outside of the nearest urban hellhole: it's quiet and I don't need bars on the windows.
BTW, a big flatscreen tv is nowhere in my future. And that's fine by me!