With careful preparation and thorough investigation, your investment might be a firm foundation for your real estate portfolio.Good luck!

I have never invested in real estate, and if I get Europe, what do you recommend I start studying (legalities, policies, trends) and where can I find the necessary resources/education to prepare to look for deals in Europe?

A lot of time and money goes into test preparation and licensing.

Mold needs two things to grow: moisture and food.

My question is, is there anything more I need to do to (i.e. issue a formal written notice of lease violation) in order to prepare for the possibility of keeping a portion of their security deposit to pay for eliminating the odor? 

If you really have a passion for this, you may want to follow and/or try to talk to developers in this food group, such as H5 Data Centers, PointeOne Development Corp, EdgeCore Internet Real Estate, Compass Datacenters, et al.

Look for properties with potential for value appreciation, understand local market conditions, and be prepared with financing options.

Are you prepared for when things go sideways?

Talk with your tax preparer.  

Here are some things you may want to prepare an answer for so you're not caught off guard and so you don't reveal potentially sensitive info.Q: "are you going to kick me out?"