Ready to take the plunge but would like advice on how best to leverage my funds:Savings: $50kCredit: 800+Credit card/vehicle/student loans: paid offLocation: CharlotteMarket: SFH or DuplexI know I want to put little into this first deal but can’t swallow the fact of shoveling out the PMI when I have the funds.

SFH renters will expect to move their lawn, shovel their driveways, and are further from other neighbors that they can't get along with.

@David Hodge It will be a few hundred dollars in getting a few cubic yards of dirt dumped on my front lawn and then a few weekend days of backbreaking work shoveling it in front of the property and along the walls and replanting grass on top of it :) Let's call it $500.

"Oh, my operating expenses are only 10% because I do all of the maintenance and mow the lawn and shovel the snow".Weird situations are also hard to underwrite for, yet they seem to happen every few years. 

Now, the plow doesn't come for anything below 3 inches, and I guess my question is - is it unreasonable for me to expect my housing tenants to shovel their walkway/around their car for under 3 inches of snow?

Either the inspector missed it or just didn't want to put in the effort to shovel out the snow to get to the storm cellar.

I worked it out with one of my tenants to shovel snow and maintain the front of the property free from trash etc.

You should ahe something for Vacancy.Utility (while vacant)/Tenant-nonPerformance.Also, who's going to cut the grass and shovel snow at the duplex?

I do think it's possible to get a property cash flowing here, but just barely, and there's no appreciation guarantee, AND there are some extra costs that I don't have at my Portland, OR rental (snow shoveling/plowing and lawn maintenance are both *required* by the village council here, I've come to learn, and if you don't stay on top of them the village will fine you). 

I don't expect everyone to get this, but now being a part of the block parties, having the neighbor kids all up in my house, and having the privilege of teaming up with other able-bodied neighbors to dig the shovel show for the elderly and disabled, I can't help but care about these people, renter, home-owner, whoever.