If this job popped up out of the blue, your intent was not to move within the 1st year, so you may be ok.If you are planning on building a portfolio of homes, it is safest to stick in your home for 12 months to reduce the appearance of potential fraud. 

My lease requires professional carpet cleaning, which would cost more than $500 for a home of that size.Yes, it's reasonable to reduce the cost because she was such a long-term tenant.

A strong team can streamline processes and reduce headaches.Expand Knowledge: Podcasts and forums like BiggerPockets are great tools.

Perhaps if your partner was a general contractor or handyman type there may be some merit there to reduce costs / increase profitability.If your partner enjoys deal sourcing, a better move might be for him to become an agent - so he could legally collect commissions from finding deals and managing properties for multiple people. 

We converted to a self-service model a few months after we took over, which has substantially reduced the workload. 

One more reason why people should stop looking for the easy path to building wealth.Increase earnings, reduce expenses, save, and invest.

We certainly have found some deals that would reduce our living expenses compared to renting.

Let’s break it down and explore how you might approach this idea, the challenges you could face, and ways to structure a deal that could work for both you and the landlord.Why the Landlord Might Be Open to SellingThey’ve moved out of state for health reasons and don’t have family nearby anymore, which might reduce their emotional attachment to the property.The idea of simplifying their life and pursuing something like sailing around the world suggests they could be open to letting go of the property if it helps them achieve their goals.With significant equity or potentially owning the property outright, selling could provide them with a substantial cash windfall to fund their future plans.However, their belongings on the property could signal hesitation to let go or simply a logistical barrier they haven’t addressed yet.

It’s gotten me seriously considering bringing an attorney in-house to handle evictions and other legal needs moving forward.I’m evaluating this from two angles:Cost Efficiency: With the expense as high as it is, having in-house counsel could potentially reduce costs over time.

Without these connections, you’re likely to spend more time and money finding reliable help.Enforcing Lease TermsProactively managing tenants and enforcing lease terms reduces the risk of evictions and other issues.