Which is a lesson learned for me because I need to plan things out and recognize issues faster.

You should have a clause in your lease agreement or an addendum detailing their responsibilities along with penalties for violations.At Keyrenter North Jersey Property Management, there are a couple things we always go back to when making these decisions:- How can we provide the best value/service to clients and tenants?

I see some lenders out there would just pick the "lowest" rate and the client ends up paying more than 1% of the loan amount at their closing costs.Key point is "Lowest" rate does not mean the cheapest rate  I have worked in traditional community banking for over 7 years.

Sewer issues in Chicago are very common which is why I ALWAYS recommend / almost require my clients to get them done + if there's trees in front or in the back of a property, there will almost always be plumbing issues + needed rodding. 

We deal with this for clients often. 

I see some lenders out there would just pick the "lowest" rate and the client ends up paying more than 1% of the loan amount at their closing costs. 

I advise my bookkeeping clients the same way.

No hidden fees.3) Proactive maintenance—Getting ahead of the problem is so important to save time and money for ourselves, the clients, and the residents.

Start with your primary, rent out any spare bedrooms "house hack"Use that to practice upgrades, kitchen, bathroom, curb appeal... etcNow you have experience as a landlord and flipper, use that to buy a distressed propertyAdd 40% equity to the property through home makeover, refinance into a low cost mortgageNow you are cashflowing a healthy margin on a second property, use that to build equity over time, cashout later and buy your duplex/quad.If it's going to take you 10 years to save up a down payment for a small apartment building, yeah it makes more sense to start growing your portfolio with cheap SFR flips instead.Every market is different, every borrower is different, every property is different, it would be ill-advised to recommend anything without recognizing the individual's nuanced goals and objectives with their next acquisition.

Focus on simplicity now and scalability later.This post does not create a CPA-Client relationship.