I looked into the maintenance option years back to discover a trend of:  apx. 8% monthly fee which only included rent collection (everything else from maintenance to turnovers etc, extra, and poor reputation on repairs.)

The IRS disaster assistance page and hotline are key resources for those seeking guidance.One significant benefit for those who have experienced property damage is the potential to claim a casualty loss deduction.

I would only ever consider this if the ceilings are already falling down or damaged.  2.

On the other hand, tenants tend to cause damages when moving these appliances in/out, so having them in place may be safer.I recommend you look at what others are doing in your community and price point.

If that is the case then I would say yeah work with an agent who has a solid reputation either here or from a friend referral.

To keep his reputation he paid those investors back the $100,000 plus 8% which he did not have to.  

A PMC can get a bad reputation really fast and be forced to use only the WORST contractors that are unreliable hacks. 

SizeCracks wider than 5 millimeters (0.2 inches) are a cause for concern Cracks wider than 15 millimeters (0.6 inches) may indicate a serious problem Cracks wider than 25 millimeters (1 inch) could be a sign of structural damage Location Cracks above doors and windows, Cracks near the ends of walls, Cracks where walls and ceilings meet, and Cracks that allow daylight in.

@David LewisRecommend you first figure out the property Class you want to invest in, THEN figure out the corresponding location to invest in.Property Class will typically dictate the Class of tenant you get, which greatly IMPACTS rental income stability and property maintenance/damage by tenants.If you apply Class A assumptions to a Class B or C purchase, your expectations won’t be met and it may be a financial disaster.If you buy/renovate a property in Class D area to Class A standards, what quality of tenant will you get?

It's always good to have another reasonably priced and reputable pool vendor in my arsenal to share with clients.