I've even had tenats bring their own range, but usually that's included in the lease as are dishwashers. 

BiggerPockets also has a calculator to analyze deals, and I highly recommend you start this as soon as possible, even if you are not ready to buy.

While I will still lose money on it in the long run, I'm at least breaking even on it monthly and no longer have the headache of it. 

That's the other challenge that i've learned, with only one month as SD, if the tenant leaves even in a relatively new build the fees add up. 

You will typically need be at $500k+ purchase points but its usually worth it vs buying lower class areas or single families.

@Moshe MarcianoI recently helped an investor from Orange County purchase a single family home here in San Diego.

Fairfax county virginia is very different than Montgomery county maryland even though they are right next door to each other and most do business in both. 

My company builds and sells single family homes in SW Florida.

For someone new to real estate investing that wants to do long term rentals, do you recommend starting off in an area close to them/an area they're familiar with or someplace that will give them the best return even if it's out of state. 2.

If you visit, you will see many commercial developments in the city and new single-family homes continuing to be built in the suburbs.