Total waste of my time and his.  

Your mentor’s advice about starting with a rental property is solid, and a duplex could be a great option for house hacking.

Make sure you have a solid contractor who knows the permitting process and does great work.

As soon as a tenant fails to pay rent, you can file a complaint without waiting 30 days or issuing a separate notice (unless your lease requires one).That being said, it could be a waste of time/fees to run to court because tenants in NJ may come even on rent (even after you win the eviction case) and then they won't be evicted: “The tenant shall have three business days after service of the warrant for removal to pay all rent due.”

I own several duplexes there and they’ve been solid investments with no issues finding renters.

Don't waste your time.

Peter Lohmann’s newsletter is a solid source for staying on top of national trends; I’d recommend subscribing if you haven’t already.In Texas, I’ve noticed increased activity, especially in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

You can try small claims court, but nothing is enforceable, so it is mostly a waste of your time...and some of the problematic tenants know this.I agree with Jill, if they do make payments, take cash or money orders-no cheques.

(if the buyer wants a more solid commitment)Once a buyer has spent money they are somewhat vested in buying the property and that gives additional negotiating power to the seller.

If you're looking for steady rental income, Cleveland could be a solid choice.