I consulted with a real estate lawyer a few times this year who said it's very hard to sue for negligence and they advised against taking legal action, especially since the property manager at least followed through on the eviction and repairs.I've now asked the property management company to apply a $4k credit for all the challenges I've had working with them.

referral=UZXgWmHappy to help review settings or share unused property assessment credits if needed!

In the meantime, focus on building your credit, saving for a down payment, and soaking up as much knowledge as you can.

There's a decent chance that if you have good credit and improve your DTI over the next year, you can put a Heloc on the property while it's still your primary to unlock some of that equity if needed.

Here are a few lessons I learned during the renovation, many of which stemmed from the age of the house and unexpected hidden damages:1.Damaged Plumbing: Several plumbing pipes were ruptured or severely damaged, requiring replacement.2.Termite Infestation: I discovered termites, which led to additional costs for treatment and repairs.3.Rotted Wood: Significant sections of wood in the structure were rotted and had to be replaced.4.Lack of Insulation: There was no insulation in the att Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

For me, I am a little hesitant because I would be in a situation where I would be trying to secure traditional lending (which should be very feasible given credit scores & what $$ amount I am pre-approved up to from my banks), meaning that I assume I would be forced into using my first-time homebuyer loan incentives.

We were also able to recover $1,550 in liquidated damages from that resident which meant that you were not out of pocket at all for that property turn.

-When a tenant moved out, the management company refunded their security deposit but failed to account for damage, such as holes in walls and outlets ripped off the walls, leaving me with repair bills and also tenants moving in without the repairs being done.Stuff like this that is consistent and when I ask questions they are defensive, when I ask for more quotes for high ticket items they are defensive. 

Then they didn't pay them and the  bad credit goes to someone else! 

@Dave AllenRecommend you first figure out the property Class you want to invest in, THEN figure out the corresponding location to invest in.Property Class will typically dictate the Class of tenant you get, which greatly IMPACTS rental income stability and property maintenance/damage by tenants.If you apply Class A assumptions to a Class B or C purchase, your expectations won’t be met and it may be a financial disaster.If you buy/renovate a property in Class D area to Class A standards, what quality of tenant will you get?