I think it's going to be location specific for sure; where I am very few people hang out in the house all day long as they are usually busy hitting the parks and attractions. 

Call the zoning department again, and this time ask specific questions: Is a variance required, or can you proceed as-is?

Be focused more on systems; i.e, are we saving enough money to invest by not indulging in other areas and prioritizing the right specific things, is the cost of this pursuit worth what you're sacrificing, if we keep $X set aside everything else above $X should be invested here in the short-term and this in the long-term.

Home warranties can sometimes cover rental properties, but it really depends on the specific terms of the warranty and the provider.

So, the first question they usually ask a PMC is about fees - instead of asking about services and HOW those services are executed.EXAMPLE: PMC states they will handle tenant screening – what does that specifically mean?

With all of that in mind, I think it would really be dependent on where you see that specific market going.

Are there specific metrics or tools you rely on?

Cleveland, Ohio is a great market to focus on for cash flow and specific pockets have gone up 2x and upwards of 4x in the last 5-10 years even!

Rent control laws are market specific.

A property in Haysville for example would be SW, but could also be filtered on "Haysville" specifically.