I am not a member in any "gurus" programs nor am I foolish enough to believe that the whole picture is provided by these gurus.

This is a conventional loan where they also cover your PMI (private mortgage insurance).

We agreed but only after they covered cleaning costs and left the property in move-in-ready condition.

Take pictures of all the properties you like, regardless if they will make you money, and regardless of the cost. 

Are the renters or the landlord expected to cover rent during the evacuation?

The City of Detroit is block-by-block in many Class B & C areas.In our opinion, zip codes cover too large an area.We use Detroit Neighborhoods, which are much smaller than zip codes.

Additionally, there’s always a risk that any pet-related damages could be hidden under furniture or otherwise concealed, potentially leaving us to cover the costs if the security deposit is fully depleted by other expenses (e.g., damages or unpaid rent).

One of the things we do and recommend to our clients is to purchase a home owners warranty to cover all of the mechanical, electrical and plumbing compenents.

Home warranties can sometimes cover rental properties, but it really depends on the specific terms of the warranty and the provider.

Multi-family for me has been the way to go and has left me assurance that even during vacancy, I will be covering most of my mortgage.