Also, A list of things you can inform a tenant that are and are not situations (emergencies and non emergencies) that warrant a phone call at 3am or on weekends.

You can replace it now, when it isn't an emergency, or later when it goes out on a Saturday Night in the dead of winter.

I have 1,000 and wondering if i should continue saving for my emergency funds or gamble and invest it.

Then obtain a HELOC/LOC to give yourself some liquidity should there's an emergency and you need the funds.3) Your total new loan balance is down to $600k on your rentals.

Conditon of apartment is at time you take possession, so do a walkthru on that apartment within the first week or so of ownership.Ask owner to send or drop off to tenant letter of change of ownership this is usually done day of closing, and you also send or drop off letter of introduction including where and how to pay rent, and emergency service contact info. 

I am starting to build a quick-list of trusted/recommended plumbers, electricians, etc. in the Des Moines area that I can call in the event of an emergency.

The contribution portion of your Roth account is a decent back-up to a cash emergency fund, which you need in life generally and definitely if you want to be a real estate investor.

We sent out revised emergency contact forms to all of our residents this year, asking for the name of the person who has permission to remove their belongings "in the event of prolonged absence from your apartment".They understood what we were asking.  

It has been a pretty good place for me to park rental repair and capex money as well as my personal emergency funds.

My landlord lives about an hr away which concerns me if I ever needed access to that in an emergency.