hey @Matthew Toporowski, at the least I would check their financials/tax returns to see how profitable they are (which translates into how easy it will be to pay your rent).

Probably depends on the location and part of town if neighbors care or notice. 

This question is definitely very location dependent - licensing across state-lines is a tricky thing to navigate so depending on the size of the lender they may operate in one metropolis or all over the country.

However, like any market, success depends on selecting the right neighborhoods and building a solid team on the ground.In Indianapolis, areas like Broad Ripple, Fountain Square, and Irvington have seen strong appreciation and rental demand, but they can be more competitive.

It'll be property specific depending on the condition but I'd say anywhere around 5% is going to be a number to start with. 5% cap ex. 8-10% for management. 5% for vacancy.

Would depend on the full situation though if that would be possible.

Depending on how much equity in the property would be key as you cannot borrow 100%, if its investment property 80% is max typically. 

I'm in the no pet camp, but some of it depends on the property.

I would think about having a local broker/agent give you a BPO on it and see what the number comes back in at..Think this might be where Chris was going, but depending on your area and what sales look like in the end of the year months, usually sales are a lot slower, that might be a driving factor.

This will depend on your risk tolerance and your goals but you should consider starting with a single-family home to gain experience as a landlord and build your network.