Asking in the correct forum will get a better response.Read the RULES!

I want to be a part of this market because I know I can offer tenants a well-maintained, up-to-code home.

Asking in the correct forum will get a better response.Read the RULES!

Also, can I stipulate in the lease that the tenant has to maintain the lawn and shovel the driveway and walkways, or am I required to pay a vendor?

Since I’ve been syndicating real estate debt and a few equity deals for 25 years, I’ve made it my business to maintain a constant “overview” of the “product” being offered.  

Generally we raise capital from investors who want a fixed income and have enough meat on the bone to keep all the equity in the deals and push the valuation and also obtain commercial financing where we can get 75-80% LTV financing and still maintain a DSCR of 1.2+2.) 

To mitigate this, investors focused on equity typically maintain a CapEx reserve fund or factor in their personal finances to cover these costs, ensuring they don’t face financial strain.

First you need to learn to separate the following:Maintenance: usually things related to wear & tear or tenant damage.Repairs: usually broken items like doors & windows, caused by tenant or nature.Capital Improvements: usually expensive things that wear out: hot water tanks, furnaces, roofs, etc.The seller is correct that Repairs & Capital Improvement items should not be a factor for awhile (ALWAYS get your own inspection to confirm).

You are closer to correct if you are looking for large-scale multi, but still sound like someone who asks questions and only wants to hear what he wants to hear.

Even then you would still need to actually go get the license and maintain it.