A Richmond, Kentucky landlord who had hired workers for a paint job last week was kind enough to let one of them stay the night in a vacant apartment after learning that he was homeless, according to The Richmond Register.

The next morning, however, the landlord arrived at his property to discover that the worker had taken off with his truck -- after reportedly collecting and pocketing a $600 rent payment from a tenant!

The police, who are searching for the impostor, estimate the landlord's losses to be $9,900.

A most unusual altercation between two Avon, Colorado roommates that began with a friendly round of video gaming ended with one roommate injured and the other facing a third-degree assault charge.

According to the Vail Daily's reporting based on local law enforcement officers and police reports, the fracas began when a tenant decided to retire for the night. His roommate, who was apparently drunk, protested by spraying Lysol on the tenant, then locking him out of the apartment for about 10 minutes.

A little later, after the tenant had finally gone to bed, the roommate entered his room and resumed spraying him with Lysol. The fighting escalated, with the roommate throwing several punches and biting the tenant on both sides of his body.

When the authorities arrived, the roommate tried to explain away the night as "just two roommates fighting." They didn't buy it.

As Inauguration Week approaches, many people in the Washington, D.C. metro area are planning or hoping to rent their homes to out-of-town visitors for some extra cash. If you're one of these people, there are certain issues to consider before you welcome a stranger into your apartment -- even if it's just for a few nights.

The National Apartment Association (NAA) has put together a list of 10 tips to help you be smart and stay safe when it comes to renting your home. For instance, did you ask whether the person is bringing a pet? If your landlord doesn't allow pets in your building, then you could be courting trouble if you forget to ask this question.

Although the NAA's tips were written for Inauguration Week, they're also useful to keep in mind in case you consider renting your home at another time and for a different occasion.

As the economy worsened and the unemployment rate continued to rise in the fourth quarter of 2008, the average apartment rents in the United States fell, according to data released today by real estate research firm Reis Inc.

The decline -- of 0.4% -- may seem small, but it's reportedly the first drop in nearly six years. As rents fell, the vacancy rate rose to 6.6%, a level that reflects a nearly 1% increase over the previous year, according to Reuters.