My area for example has to have certain signage and an emergency shut off button located directly by the hot tub. 

There is a State of Emergency in effect and anti-price gouging laws apply.

Real estate investmnets are capital intensive and if you don't have extra money sitting around to make the emergency repair when it happens you'll find yourself in a terrible position. 

@JD Martin agree 10,000%What I am surprised about is I had a call with someone in Austin today and in sw Florida and they both said things are awful and prices are dropping at high rates - curious don't hear as much chatter here about that as it could be an opportunity 

Accessible through a link in his Linked in profile is the Emergency Business Relief( Link ), which claims to have recovered “over $300 million for clients,” through various Covid-19 and other government programs.

EDUCATE YOURSELF - yes, it will take time, but will lead to a selection that better meets your expectations & avoids potentially costly surprises!

I think the story across a lot of the upstate is similar, net exodus from 2000-2020, followed by a surprising increase in prices and population growth following the pandemic as people (and companies) searched for affordability. 

Neighborhood selection, property management, tenant risk, and rehab surprises can make or break an investor.

As a PM, I'm authorized to make emergency repairs without owner permission.

When we moved, we turned it into a rental, hoping this would be the start of our real estate journey—something we’d like to continue once my husband retires.Some key details:My husband is active duty and will retire in 3 years.We have one final move coming up this summer to Raleigh, NC.Our current debts are crippling us—the high interest makes it tough to stay afloat every month.The plan I proposed to my husband:Sell the rental property.Use the proceeds to pay off all our debts, set aside emergency funds and a down payment for our next home.Free up $1,500/month from debt payments, and that also can stash in a high-yield savings account.Regain full VA loan entitlement, allowing us to purchase a multifamily home and use the house hacking strategy for up coming move.Avoid capital gains tax, since April marks five years of ownership, and the tenant’s lease ends in May.This wasn’t our original plan, and we hate the idea of using our equity to pay off debt.