The biggest RE mistake I've ever made was not riding out a rough spot and selling instead of waiting for the market to recover.

@Sanjeev Kaushik -@Dave Foster is spot on.

Knowing this is my weak spot (customer service to unreasonable guests) I hired department managers from the hotel world who were already trained to deal with this type of thing. 

The only other reason I can think of why there’s fresh tar is if they needed to go down that spot to fix the heater, but that doesn’t make sense as to why you would need to go underground to fix the heater.Any advice on what you would do?

With a HH, you can learn how to analyze properties & markets, how to find an investor-friendly agent, how to spot value-add opportunities at properties, how to engage in a strong due diligence process, how to screen tenants, how to manage the property, how to build a network of contractors, plumbers, electricians and other pros, how to manage the book keeping of the property, etc., etc., etc.

Hello,I am starting to analyze properties to practice my skills and get better at spotting good deals for long-term rentals.

If any experienced investors have words of encouragement, or would like to share their favorite resources, feel free to do so!

Are you in a hot spot -- Highlands, Washington Park, RiNo?

On the flip side, I've easily seen people fighting to rent units for $5k+There's a big difference between the west side (Chelsea is one of my favorite neighborhoods, Google's HQ, lots of wine spots) and the east side (mostly affordable housing). 

And insurance is spot on.