My bigger concern is whether she can actually afford the rent long-term, or if any "unexpected" event from here on out will put her further behind.

Like most investors I believe cash flow is a critical component of an investment.

There is more to this calculation and other moving components which you can speak to your CPA about.

Columbus is a top five appreciating city in the US with an unexpected mix of cash flow which is backed up by a population and job growth.

That means that after 20 days if the underwriter finds something unexpected and denies your application, you would be free to walk out of the contract with all your deposits refunded.

For newly constructed, purchased or renovated properties and also retroactive generally over the last 10 years, building components are properly classified into individual units of property and accurate recovery periods for computing depreciation deductions.

Passive investors like those types of investments for both cash flow and appreciation at sale (forced value add is very frequently a large component of the plan).

But that assumption, implies that the rental property you are buying is actually negative cash flow, which is not what people are looking for (unless there is far larger appreciation component than you are giving credit for).  

You seem to get that and are willing to do the work which is important in this business.As you grow, you will have to do less and less of the work because you will be able to absorb these budget increases for unexpected things. 

Might also want to consider having a reserve fund for the rental upfront (ie. 4-6 months mortgage payments- or a dollar amount that would help you sleep better at night in case something unexpected comes up).