By doing this, you effectively shield each property from the liabilities of the other—should an issue arise with one, it won't affect the other.

The others were a great waste of time and distraction. 

The entire left side of the house is also lined with tall trees so taking these trees down would not hardly effect the amount of shade being cast on the home. 

People waste a lot of money for fake protection.

I am not a fan as it would not give a homey feel or look.Anyway, I would love to hear cost-effective ideas for either the long term, short term, or both.Thanks for your time.

How can one, who has only rudimentary knowledge in real estate without any boots on ground experience (read a few books), effectively choose a real estate agent?

Hi Samuel,When considering how to pay off a loan faster, both methods you've mentioned—making a large principal payment at the end of each year versus bi-weekly payments—can be effective, but they operate differently.Large Principal Payments: Making a large payment once a year can significantly reduce your principal, leading to lower interest costs over the life of the loan.

Do you legal, effective, and signed leases?  

Being able to enter a property with only 5% down means you can leverage your money way more effectively as well.

There are plenty of resources and tools out there to help you refine your strategies and manage your property effectively.