It's all about balancing cost and longevity.

We are now having to involve the tenant as her lease is coming up and if we can't get the balance paid up to date then we are going to have to give her a 60 day non renewal letter. 

You may have to balance spending money on things today that you may not really need until later - but, they may cost a LOT more to change later.

We will not insure a water balance unless we have the proper documentation (which might not happen within days of getting a contract signed)  How do you protect yourself? 

To give an idea I would say out of my first 250 deals, maybe 5 had a balance over $50k, of my last 250, maybe 5 had a balance less than 50k. 

. , market values, estimate of mortgage balance and current status of property.....actually preforclosure/probate or old info?  

If you're considering Tampa, it's a fantastic market with plenty of opportunities and a good balance of tourist traffic and manageable regulations.

This approach strikes the perfect balance between affordability and quality, maximizing your investment potential.For those who are just starting in real estate or have limited funds, house hacking can be a game-changer.

It reinforced the importance of balancing profit expectations with market trends.

@Paige Seeley - If I am understanding the hart of your post correctly, you are balancing the decision to put more money down, in order to have better cashflow, vs going with a lower down payment (keeping cash in your control) but having a higher monthly payment.