you are going up against people and companies that spend thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars a month in marketing. 

I personally put them on a schedule, long term, because I do not have the time to do the work myself and contracting it out all in one shot comes with a large bill.  

I am interested in meeting mortgage brokers, investors, and real-estate agents in the Austin area, as well as anyone who can connect my abilities as an engineer to a tech company in the area.I love learning new things, and not knowing how to do a thing has never stopped me from doing it.

I was very pleasantly surprised.I also built a tool myself, I had a lot of issues finding service person for different repairs need.

You look like the kind of person who is going somewhere.

Some outreach to local companies with a transient workforce may be worth your time - you'd have 1 lease rather than 5 (1 per bedroom). 

Some PM companies take on higher end stuff (think Cul-De-Sac neighborhoods) and some focus on the hood.

.✅ Tariffs & “America First” ManufacturingTrump has made it clear—he’s bringing manufacturing back to the U.S.Expect tariffs on China, Mexico, and other foreign producers—forcing companies to reinvest in American infrastructure, factories, and real estate.That means more demand for industrial real estate, warehouses, and logistics hubs right here in the U.S.And guess who’s already looking into those opportunities?

Personally, I invest in properties in C-Class neighborhoods in my market (East Linden and Southern Hilltop), and they’ve been cash-flowing well so far.

I would eat the costs and fix the yard and either install a sprinkler or pay a PM company to water it.