Reese's "free" course is really "first lesson free", then you are directed to a paywall to continue.  

Hence, the search continues.

5K rent seems cheap for the area so I would continue with that.

First, deep relationships with people so that you know them well, they know you well, and relationship continues for many years.  

A good landlord wants to do reasonable business to have continued tenants.

So most agents are only putting about half of that $12k in their pocket, and out of that $6k they have to cover all of their operating expenses: licensing fees, MLS/ Realtor Association fees, continuing education classes to stay compliant with licensing requirements, monthly "desk" fees/ technology fees to their brokerage, health insurance for themselves and their family, errors and omissions insurance (required), marketing, car, car insurance, gas, clothes, computer/ software, cell phone, closing gifts, signs, photography, staging if they offer that, etc.

They are still at a discount to the 10 year treasury bond (i.e. market trends indicate they will continue to escalate).

If you intend to continue 'helping' dogs, you need to move out of the city and to a rural area with acreage.

We gave him an old lease that said he didn't have to pay water (we newly split the utilities in the unit) and he noticed we charged him for water and then we refunded him (although he continued to send us pics of his napkin math that says we didn't refund him enough).   

If this is a problem tenant who continues breaking rules, that's something you can work on later but for right now you should do the right thing and look into this.