In 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Stephen Covey talks about "sharpening the saw." 

In other words, have them in tip top shape (at least reasonably habitable) so your lender appraisals come in as high as possible. 

Have you changed your habits in food supplies available to your guests?

I believe that having a business plan, formal or informal, is vitally important to helping you achieve your goals.

You of course will probably need to pay the property taxes, keep insurance on it since you own it of record and hope the Borrower keeps it in somewhat habitable condition.Then, assuming you win, you get clear title to the property. 

It's an expensive repair but vital to the health of the property. 

Here in NY, the Code eliminates several spaces which are not calculated in the habitable SF calculations.

Keep at it - continue your great savings habit and you'll be set as soon as you land your first full-time job.

Whether you have that or not then the next thing is vital.

He and his crew do a lot of work to make them habitable--way more than they would have to do for cat damage.With Pets you can get special carpet pads and special carpets that somewhat repel the urine problem, but with Horror Tenants your really just stuck with what the Devastation they leave behind.And like you said, so many people have pets, if you don't take them you really limit your renter selection, and Pet issues seem a lot easier to deal with than the Horror Tenant Issues.