If you're a single mom with student loans, a car payment, and living paycheck-to-paycheck, then $20,000 would be devastating and a reserve is critical.

Think hiking, mountain biking, white water rafting and a community overall focused on all natural things and sustainability.

I'm happy to share my experience as both a flipper and a lender.

A lot of investors who succeed in EC know the tenant base very well and a lot of them self manage.

This.Also, if you were the tier 1 worker bee at a relocation company who wants to get a family housed, happy and as quickly as possible, would you accept the word of a guy who sells a course to new-to-MTR investors that "here is Eli; please send him all of your business.

Out-of-state investing makes the most sense for me—it’s impossible to cash flow anywhere near me, and moving wouldn’t make sense because I wouldn’t be able to earn the same wages or find the same kind of jobs.Before this purchase, I already owned two properties: a long-term rental outside Houston, Texas, and a short-term rental in the Sierras in California.

As far as resale goes, you see less competition and a higher certainty of long-term appreciation. 

Squatters are a real problem nationally and a study found that they target not only vacant properties but those advertised for rent or sale that offer 'immediate occupancy.' 

Its 20 years later I have money in the bank, great credit,  living alone very modestly, and a business that is doing well.

And the cracks mostly follow the drywall seams from what I can see, which is typical....And as @Patricia Steiner said, it doesn't look like a pro installation....You could ask the Contr to use a flexible compound if this happens again, or maybe even now...https://www.dap.com/products-projects/product-categories/pat...Like everyone else said, I'd have it repaired - by a licensed Drywall Contr. - and then just check in on it.