If you pull a permit as a homeowner they will talk you out of it and state that if you're hiring an unlicensed contractor you don't qualify for any funds from the " uninsured contractor / thief" fund if things go south. 

In essence, it's internalized as alarming, a negative emotion.

I've also been experimenting with the Ring alarm system which does monitoring for only $10 a month (no additional cellular or internet/WiFi required) on vacant property.

Alarm system- Have door entry phone notification.

Now, I am sure you are thinking "why didn't you have an alarm system" well, we did, but the electrician was fired before he completed the work so the house was left without electricity or wifi.

Then in the two weeks following, called several times about what she needed, wanted bars on windows because the place is on the first floor, called a day or two later, said the place needed an alarm system, then called to say wanted the kitchen painted another color.

What did alarm me was that Del then decided to say the N word twice and suggested that AOC should be castrated due to her views.

When I walked through it, smoke alarms were taken out of the walls and he hadn't installed a window in the back unit so there was nothing more but a covering over it.

I didn’t make a fuss of it as the utilities we cover (water, trash, and alarm system) did not rise.

Maybe you didn't mean it this way, but your comment about needing 3 years to break even on cashflow is alarming - you should have around that much budgeted for maintenance and CapEx every year.