I've been reading along and trying to absorb as much knowledge as I can in the last 4 years.  

Hope to learn how to start and grow a portfolio so that I can in-turn help others with the same.

I agree with those who said just get as much as you can in small claims. 

I would of course negotiate if you can. In

The tenant's mention of a lawsuit is typically an empty threat.As someone that's dealt with plenty of mold and mold claims, this one looks like a fat nothing burger.

Very rarely, those cases happen due to some fat tails event-- recession, war, pandemic, etc.

Audit expenses and cut the fat.

Its likely that buyers will be more selective when choosing an agent because they now have to pay, and in the long run they will use someone more adequate, which can in turn help you.  

If your properties under management are generating steady income for you close to or even exceeding your initial expectation, yet you scan the work orders and find more fat that can be trimmed which would yield even more profit.

I don't know about you, but that seems ridiculous and extremely dangerous to me. you can definetly learn it in less time than it takes to make 20k its a fat waste of money and an mlm