I'm on a continuous journey to expand my knowledge in this field and am keen on leveraging my background in finance and real estate investment to contribute to mutual growth.

I'm definitely considering a lease agreement, but on the fence about running background checks, as that might turn off potential good tenants.

And these 3 cities go farther with the requirement of a background check for the main guest. 

but the buck stops with you.or if you have a friend or relative who is handy or has a contracting background, bring them, go see it, and try to come up with your own rough estimate of the repairs needed before you make an offer.

Your background in programming and technology can be a huge asset in your real estate journey and I always find it interesting to hear about innovative solutions. 

Quote from @Dominic Richardson: Where do people go and network to find equity partner for real estate.

I implore you to get a great foreclosure/creditor rights attorney with a strong real estate law background to help.

Here's some back ground on the 2 duplexes combined.Fully occupied at $9k a month in collected rent. $13k in yearly taxes between the two duplexesAbout $200 a month in water between the two (no sewage, on septic) tenants pay all other utilitiesInsurance- $200 a monthSelf managedI truly feel like I have given him some real win-win offers and nothing is sticking.

For me, I'm actually doing an online broker class, mainly just for the education before I start investing, since I have zero background in real estate.

They don't charge application fees or security deposits, don't do background checks - they take ANY S8 tenant no matter how bad they are:(You really want Class C and B-minus areas for solid S8 tenants.Let us know what else we can assist you with.