I'm eager to start the work of finding a drive-by appraiser and calling title & insurance companies to close this transaction.

In California, insurance companies are very tough now.

Our lender required us to have title insurance and this week my wife will be submitting a claim! 

I buy supplies, and keep up with pricing, do repairs, except for electrical, plumbing and A/C.

As you stated, that leads to higher property taxes and higher homeowners insurance as well, and when combined with higher property values and a 150% climb in interest rates, it compounds affordability issues.

Also, the costs in Florida are high, with expenses for insurance and the hurricane risk adding up.

Your new potential guests are insurance companies for homeowner displacement (flood, fire), buyers looking to move to the area but not sure where they want to be, sellers who want to sell but have nowhere to go, contract workers in the area, adjunct professors on a semester job, etc.

I'd consider Florida because I love that they have tackled the squatter issue except I know insurance prices will creep up in the next few years.

Is your DSCR ratio greater than 1-meaning are you cash flowing (according to the lender's criteria of mortgage, property taxes and insurance (and HOA) if applicable).

In fact it may actually complicate litigation in the event a claim were to arise while adding additional insurance expenses to your real estate operation.To explain why this is the case I’m going to ask one very simple question: In the event a tenant dispute, premises liability, or any other claim were to arise, what prevents the Plaintiff’s attorney from merely listing your wife who it seems is the property deed holder in your fact pattern as a Defendant?