Maintaining records and copies of documents for retention purposes for a property I own is prudent business practice, a self managed HOA with ten units even knows this.

Find a below market deal in a market where you can afford a property, while maintaining a capital cushion. 

I am curious what shape the house was when it was half-gifted to you because reading between the lines it seems like you squatted in the gift and didn't do any maintenance and don't really know anything about owning or maintaining a house.I also don't know why you want to get a rental and be a landlord when a house you got as a gift is a disaster.

Exactly like Nathan stated.... if they pay for it and its properly installed by a trained professional and they pay to maintain it..and its stays.... no problem

You want to make sure that it's paying itself down not just maintaining the HELOC.Some combination of that and cash should be pretty favorable for you!

I am very calculating on risk and return ; and following the trend. if you want to think it with straight head think it like this:inflation 4%CD rate 5.25-6%case shipper index for 2023 just released: 4.9%since maintain property has capex actual return is even less.the spread between case shipper to Cd is minus 25 bpsin 2019 it was like positive 600bps.so by not investing this year , it is good as well , and we would see what 2024 would bring.

I'm curious about why KKOS lawyers were unable to maintain anonymity.

Vetting your tenants and incentivizing them to maintain the property is key to reducing turnover costs.  

While you're out in the field make notes of properties you like that aren't being maintained - look for high grass and weeds, broken windows or unshoveled snow in the winter.

Because the 0% interest rate was coming to an end on the first of my credit cards through Fund & Grow, I sought a second round of funding through them so as to maintain a 0% interest payment on the funds going forward...still had to make the minimum payment going forward which at that time had accumulated to about $1000 per month plus property yard maintenance and taxes.Hoping that Clayton would do some of his magic and get the house built, screen some qualified tenants and get some cash flow going to be able to satisfy the payback of the credit cards until such time that I could get the new house independently appraised and financed through a traditional mortgage which the cash flow would have easily covered according to what Clayton promises in his podcast relating to the new construction builds.