. #3) Do a remodel and then sell it.

I have used my PM's staff at Property services of Ocean View for several remodels on rental properties. 

In anne arundel county you need a permit to change a wax ring on a toilet

It's got some deferred maintenance so our contractor is slated to start work this coming week, new roof, bath remodel, windows etc.Now I'm wondering if we should be adding a third bedroom instead of just cleaning it up.

You can come across several value add deals that you can buy with the cash up front, perform a necessary remodel (I say necessary meaning you do not have to go above and beyond to get a full 75%-80% bank loan), occupy with a tenant and cash out refinance.

The rehab work is not really anything unique.Source: Remodeled a mobile home 2 years ago.

By the time they realise it is all going down the toilet it is too late.I strongly advise new investors buy local and manage their own properties until they become callused and hardened toward managing tenants of their own.

It’s easy to find a 9% or better cap rate here and with some effort and patience / willingness to do a little remodeling you can find 10-11 % cap rates.

Other non-code enforcement issues I look for when doing inspections on my own: change air filter, check to make sure toilets are not running, run water in sinks and check drain pipes for leaks, check for signs of unauthorized pets, check to make sure all windows operate, check all GFCI outlets with a tester and make sure they reset. 

If it is not their fault (ie a tree root has grown through the sewer pipe which is why the toilet keeps backing up or something like that) then I would probably get the problem fixed after the 3rd time it happened.