You can in Maryland, at least.

Looks like I need to build some capital and learn as much as I can in the meantime.

So, if they break in and find an alarm going, they'll grab everything they can in 10 minutes and are long gone by the time the squad car pulls up. 

I would get licensed, work for a local investor, and learn all you can in the trenches.

The issue is that you can only afford to do what you can in these situations and sometimes that might mean nothing, as you also have the bank to deal with if you don't pay the mortgage.Do what you can to help!

@Tim BartelFrom my experience with pets, it seems that dogs mature at different rates depending on breeds.

I'm not sure if earnest money can split in your area, but it can in St.

Just think it’s two different strategies for different breed of investors and you need to identify which best suits you.

First, you can't take advantage of the economies of scale like you can in a bigger facility....meaning that as you expand, your revenue will increase faster than your expenses which will have a positive effect on profit. 

If there are a lot of tenants searching for rentals that allow pets, it is best to cater to them with whatever limitations seem fair (pet age, breed restrictions, size, etc).