You just need to learn to minimize the risk of it happening, and minimize the damage once you recognize its happening.

The AC maintenance is minimal with "swamp coolers" that we have here in NM, and my husband does that, so it doesn't add much expense, just new pads each year.  

Vacancy sucks and if you're managing it yourself you can minimize that by working your *** of and market the hell out of it.

My main goal will always be to build a portfolio of long-term buy and hold investments and to acquire properties with as minimal cash invested as possible.

Minimal liability, you pay an HOA fee and most everything is taken care of for you.

Minimal liability, you pay an HOA fee and most everything is taken care of for you.

This would be a turn key on this end- an established property management team and is already in place, it’s recently renovated (no/very minimal repair costs anticipated) and all but 2 or 3 units are already tenanted for the next year.

Mine is paid off though so I don’t really care about it much these days.To me: $13.8k is just hella equity to be dropping into a Class D, for $200-230/month (since property tax wasn’t mentioned), which will likely very minimally appreciate.My first two Class A properties ($229k and $293k) I househacked them with 5% owner-occupied and only put down $11k and $14k. 

There's so much to learn and I feel that you all have responded with exceptional lessons and tactics to minimize risk and get after future deals.

Minimal issues to fix and great price for a multi.