You can only play games for so long.Chances are your next door neighbor is an IRS agent and turns you in when your tenants blocks their drive or some other random event disturbing your IRS neighbor.ADU catches fire and your insurance won't cover you, because it was an illegal and unpermitted structure.The city inspector told the last guy not to build or rent it, and is now pissed and wants to make an example of you and just red tags the whole property and no one can occupy for the next 1-2-3 years while you wait for a hearing.Then when you get the hearing, "staff" recommends you tear the whole structure down, and if you still want an ADU, you can apply for a permit and rebuild it.Your tenant quits paying rent and won't move out and you can't evict them, because there is no valid lease and they're just your "roommate".Probably a dozen other bad things can happen to you when you do stuff like this. 

You need to carry a special type of health insurance, not the traditional kind.

We have not disabled ours or converted to gas, but Tenant must sign a Fireplace Addendum stating if they use it, we require a higher renter's liability policy with us as additional insured, rules on wood, storage, use, safety, they pay for yearly professional cleaning each year they are there, etc.  

As expenses fluctuate (property taxes, insurance, maintenance items, etc), the cash flow will be up and down and unreliable.

There are two pieces to the loan calculation - loan to value (needs appraisal), and debt service coverage ratio (rental income vs. mortgage).

That way you're not only reducing your daily balance on your principle, but you're also building equity in another investment at the same time.then, of course, there's the life insurance option...lol.You may be better refinancing, but then you have closing costs and you are forced to always make the higher payment.

Here are a few alternatives to consider for your next property:One option is debt-service coverage ratio (DSCR) loans, which are specifically geared towards real estate investors.

Guess what your insurance company will say?

From what i understand, the space heaters are a big fire hazzard. does your insurance allow them?

My wife and I own a couple duplexes in Florida, however with insurance costs on the rise, we're looking at Wisconsin, which is where my wife is from originally, and we're looking at small multifamily in Sheyboygan.