I know that erosion control is going to a problem.

Tell her to contact a pest control company and deal with them and then set a time to inspect in a couple weeks.

If you can't keep control your finances, you are highly unlikely to succeed in real estate investing.

This is one of those situations that theory is great and needed to help you understand the basics, but once you are in the trenches, you have no control over what may happen.

In CA cities especially SF and LA there is rent control which doesn’t allow you to take units to market until someone leaves or you pay them to leave.

But what happens when debts start to spiral out of control (as they will)?

But I do like the WiFi remote-control aspect.

Eric A, that's precisely why I'm using real estate for passive income on the side! 

@Alvin Sylvain thanks for your response, and that is precisely my question.

As greatful as I am to do what I love for a living I recently realized how little control one has over their future if the present is governed only by your clients needs and your ability to deliver on them.