You're taking all of the up front risk with zero control or equity upside of the property.My recent example of $11k is for a 1200 sq ft SFH that included a couple of appliances.

If he can't/won't control his kids or whoever is causing the toilet stoppage, then he will learn after a few $ repair bills

Put the want need wish emotion down and step on it like it was cockroach.  

The beauty is, YOU are in control. 

After that, the tenant takes responsibility for pest control. 

If you want to learn the business up close and have more control, staying local could be better.My honest advice?

I would add Emotional Intelligence.

I'm sure this is taking quite the emotional toll on you, in addition to taking away precious time from your day where you aren't able to source additional deals.I would also go after the lawyer and report this conduct to the board of ethics. 

To manage these rises, you can adopt a few key strategies to control expenses and maintain profitability:Accurate Budgeting and Contingency Planning: Start by creating a detailed budget, accounting for current labor and material prices.

There are many things we can't control even if we did our best due diligence.