Most of the time in my experience it is just a false alarm and tenants are looking for an excuse to live rent free or vacate without penalty.   

Although I am currently a teacher, I plan to raise capital through day trading and starting a new career in sales either in flooring or alarm systems (again family businesses). 

So from my experience in Upstate NY with section 8 as long as it has an over head light, atleast one window that stays up on its own, electrical outlets, heating and smoke alarm and has a door that closes it off it is considered a room. 

You can find cheap motion-activated security lights, loud audible alarm systems, perhaps a harder to cut cage for the AC unit - I'd get as many barriers to taking your item as you can, and hope they might just grab the one next door instead - why take yours with the lights, cage, alarm etc. when there's a vacant house around the corner with nothing - this is often the best that can be done in my experience.

Flipping is definitely doable in El Paso, it was named the most affordable city in the nation, so it's getting a lot of exposure from out of state investors (Specially CA) FYI.The most important part of a flip is buying it right, location does matter - I have heard horror stories of flippers that come from other cities and want to implement the same strategies they did back home and they end up sitting on their property because they either bought too expensive, or in the wrong neighborhood, or invested too heavily in finishes that the comps of the neighborhood simply didn't have.Study.I suggest you read the book Flip by Clay D. if you are set with that strategy.Also, be aware of costs, I know a lot of wholesalers that are clueless with the costs and just throw a random rehab number to the investor with the hopes they will sell the property.Find a great realtor that is also an investor, I became one myself since I struggle to get the right guidance - there aren't many out there that are familiar with the construction and investing side if the industry.Don't think you will make a ton of money on your first flip, be happy if you are able to walk away without a loss, I can guaranteed tho that you will LEARN a ton, and that is what you NEED right now.Regarding the so called "Recession" I believe it's more a consumer's belief through influence of media showcasing the tariffs war etc, what we really now is that for it to hit us - RE investors - there has to be an alarming increase of foreclosures which guess what? 

Did you need to update your fire alarm system?

The amortized cost of laminate counter tops beats solid material by a country mile and tenants in our C properties don't expect solid counters.Builder grade smoke alarms because in Virginia I have to certify that they are working every 12 months so I have to actually touch each one anyway.

I've seen some alarmingly high purchase prices in our market. $350k for houses in C- class neighborhoods.

I am there routinely with furnace filters and batteries for the CO2 detectors and smoke alarms.

I'm a bit alarmed at what I'd be paying at a 32% management fee - if they tack on another 10-20 percent for admin that's getting unbearable.