I will also look for houses with deferred maintenance and search them to see if there is an absentee owner and/or older in age, maybe ready to move or downsize!

NO debt NO debt NO debt on rentals is the way to go as you mature in age as an investors.

Its the less aggressive model but it was programed into me from a young age, keep your business risk separate from the things that you need to live (home, car, food, etc.). 

Based on your age & needs, you could consider a variable annuity (stock market) vs a fixed or deferred annuity (more like a long term CD). 

At 12 to 18 months of aging, I may look to cash out on this one.What are others seeing??

Hell I can get an aged SHELF (not shell) company for $695 there and it was the EIN and all that. 

A more typical rule of thumb is to budget 10%–15% of gross rental income for maintenance and repairs over the long term, depending on the property’s age, class, and location.

Since I am married and have school age kids, I place a real premium on minimizing my management time. 

Our prospective numbers point to increasing profits as the deal ages with an eventual infinite ROI once the initial investment is paid off.

Plumbing is historically one of the most difficult things to fight since age and the structure matter so much and it is nearly impossible to pinpoint one issue that caused the damage.