Your debt to income ration will not be a factor, the debt to service coverage ration on the property will be. 

Check those thing out to get a better idea.Your property management is suppose to be 10%( i thought is the general number to use) looks liek u have 8% or so there.Let me know if these things improve your numbers enough.What ration of cash on cash or Cap were you looking for to get?

I do think the books make sense but if such a foundation which is essential to all his books is questioned, am I on a slippery slope in reading these books and rationalizing with the advise provided?

If they give me first month rent and any pro-ration if they are moving in earlier, the keys will be waiting for them on the counter when they move in.If they are tight on money, they can have the keys when they give me rent and any pet fees.  

Otherwise, id say stick with the refundable deposit and explain and rationalize every possible loop hole the tenant might find and argue with you about.

Including-Grass not fully mowed (rational and we agree)-Bike outside the house (seems nitpicky)-Dark color on the bricks (not even noticeable in the picture and ridiculous)-An AC unit visible on the side of the house which has been there at least 6 yearsAll of these are at least within view the part the REALLY bothers me is the following.

The only way I could rationalize it was maybe a section 8 landlord would invest there but probably not..

Account Closed If you're trying to house hack, you might be able to qualify for a very low money down mortgage, but your debt-to-income ration would have to be sufficient.Otherwise, you need to network and provide whatever services possible to people already in the business so that they would learn to rely on and trust you, and you would learn as you go and build connections.  

For the record I think everyone warned you about the problems not because they doubt your experience or acumen, it is because most folks who become emotional, like when helping others tend to be a little less rational than they usually are. 

[/quote]Any two rational numbers can be expressed as a ratio/percentage -- in fact, that's the definition of a rational number.