Efficiency will be paramount with this property, especially considering that natural gas is not an option.  

As a banker this is risk we talk about all the time, it doesnt' matter when you have 4-5 units, or even 10 maybe, but as your net worth increases and the percentage of it is concentrated into one industry, one asset, and one location, that's risky. 4. inefficiency in procedure.

However, I'm a techie by nature, so most of my time is spent learning how to program in various computer languages as well as develop websites and apps for individuals and small businesses looking to brand themselves online.WHY REAL ESTATE? 

Also remember one cannot control mother nature, and so things like hurricanes or flooding happen sometimes.Hope this helps.

This will give you a better understanding of the market you're operating in, and should you find a property you may want to buy, the cost estimates will come to you naturally.

That's the nature of this business.

Natural gas installed for heating and hot water.

this house I'm looking at has been going through chapter 13 procedures for the last 5 years (yeah these people dragging out the inevitable). 

I am naturally debt averse but slowly realizing that scaling the rental bizz fast means getting out of comfort zone

Depending on the nature of the repair, i.e., minor or major, you can decide whether that is worth the trouble.I would request the rental application from the tenant, the lease, and the credit report, which are standard requirements.Those info would also allow me to check out how they manage the rental tenant screening process and what kind of tenant is in the house.