There are no tax deductions for such gifts, however you have a $15k per recipient annual gift limit that avoids the chore of filing a gift tax return.

I will shop around for homes based on these inputs.

This doesn't just stem in SFR, this stems in fast food chains, logistics chains, trade shops, infrastructure RE, energy trades.

So, if you are shopping around, trust your numbers and don’t be aggressive on price, you may be only bidding against yourself.

Land investingI went with these five as the first one takes very little money to get involved and its basically credit card / pawn shop lending. 

If heat goes out in the winter we drop off several units, so they can be placed in different parts of the house - including every room with water like kitchen and bathrooms.We also have dehumidifiers, carpet blowers, shop vacs, puddle-sucker pumps, extra hoses, extra sump pumps with battery pack, squeegees, and portable AC units ready to deploy. 

If the violations took place prior to purchase, I would at least give them written notice that you are aware of the previous violations and that just one under your watch would result in an eviction.in the meantime, I would shop for new insurance and pass the increase on to the tenant.

I would suggest shopping it around a little more until you find a lender that offers reasonable terms and has a positive reputation.

But I also don’t know of any appliance shop with no return policy.

A solid agent can help you calculate ARV, manage inspections and contractor connections— get quotes and coordinate handymen and vendors post close, provide shopping lists and software suggestions for management or STR furnishing, etc.