Being a brand new unit you have rehabbed you might have to get her out rather than potentially ruin the whole unit by an act of her negligence.

Also for all the value they provide the number 1 thing they all exist to do is enrich the Guru and give him a captive audience to sell more stuff to. 

You are complaining after four months of trying in a brand new business that you didn't know anything about?

Added brand new cabinets and granite countertops.

We put a sign on every property to: attract tenants, create brand awareness, and to help prevent scammers from using our properties as bait. 

I am wondering if my first steps (past the education part) is to build a network of people who know, like, and trust me through posting content like newsletters, articles, podcasts, doing webinars, going to events (aka build my brand), or, should I first find a deal and then raise capital?

It ends in a $395M annual loss and entire brand tarnished by political spin.

You'll also continue to be building your brand, your network, your experience, etc.

(Previous rent was $1,300 but we're about to put in a brand new kitchen from the studs, new flooring throughout the house, new furance, adding A/C, etc).So do we just pay for it all upfront and mostly drain all of our savings, or do I let the rent pay for it and utilize our other savings to get a second property this spring/summer to increase our cashflow? 

In Phoenix, a 1996 build is practically brand new when compared to a WWI-era home in Cleveland or Pittsburgh or some other Midwest or East coast city.While I agree that older homes come with more problems, buying something newer may not work as the price will be higher and won't cash flow as well.I'm of the mindset to buy what fits your budget and investment goals.