Having the funds to handle evictions and turn units quickly is the key to stabilizing the property and protecting the investment.

I am sure every state is a little different or have nuances but for sure as Greg mentioned materialmen can file a lien and then just wait.. the other thing they can do is a court action for unjust enrichment claims.. those are the two ways Materialmen protect their interest at least out here on the Left coast.. 

I just want to make sure we are dividing out the cash flow we can spend versus the cash flow we should save.

Sure, you are going to be getting/saving the Realtor commision, but in order to do that, you need to spend the investment into the Real Estate supplies that get you there.Thanks, I am certainly aware of the MLS benefits and agree. 

I’m not sure why traditional agents offer any special litigation protection.2.

And how much can I expect to spend on this process?

- Pet Policies and Agreements: What are the best practices for creating pet policies and agreements to protect my property?

Where are the protection pentacles?

A tax account ensures nothing is accidentally spent elsewhere, and a marketing account makes sure lead generation is always prioritized.From a credit perspective, connecting credit cards to these accounts on autopay helps you manage spending responsibly while playing the credit game.

& track my job costs against each category so I can compare my budget vs actuals and calculate the variances.For example:Electrical Budget: $4,000Electrical Actual: $6,300Variance: +$2,300This process is more tedious because you have to breakdown each invoice or receipt and allocate the costs to each Category, but it really helps you understand where you are spending your money and why you went over budget.Otherwise, it sounds like you are having trouble measuring employee productivity?