landlord 101

i know i asked this a few years ago, that situation fell through but it looks like i might become a landlord here before the years end

this is my situation, i picked up a little property earlier this year and i have been fixing it up with the intend to sell for a profit
but the more i think about it, the more it makes sense to me to keep it and put a renter in it

i can then take out a mortgage on it to liquify it, use those funds to build the next one and have a tennant pay the mortgage


so, what do i need to do as a landlord to protect myself?
what are the do, the donts and the big no-no?
anything to stay clear off, or any way to attract "good" renters?


the property is a 3 bedroom 1 bath 1100 square foot home