But you could say something along the lines of this in your lease;"If the monthly gas bill exceeds $X or the water bill exceeds $Y, the tenant will reimburse the landlord for the difference as an additional charge."

In addition to using your own funds, have you looked into securing grants to "stack" the capital you have to still acquire properties?

That present's an opportunity for additional capital does it not? 

In addition, we’ve listed all of our properties on the Aya Healthcare housing page to directly advertise to their network.

Additionally, don’t overlook CoreVest or Patch of Land, which offer competitive terms and may align with your needs.Good luck with your new venture!

Additionally, can anyone provide any input on the developer?

Additionally I totally get moving into other realms of investment as just described.  

If you use a property manager, you'll need at least 50 rentals to cover the additional expenses.

Instead of paying 1250$ a month and staying in my current home I can pay 977$ per month and have an additional 4br/2 bath property. 

In addition, I am hoping to understand the most severe risks that come with investing in distressed properties, and how best to mitigate these risks.