Many challenges can be avoided if you work with someone that can give you professional guidance in the market you choose.

you choose one pay for it and they provide them.What I found out is they just send over the plans with no updates to current codes so we submit then and get check sheets sometimes 3 or 4 and takes 90 days to get approved instead of them understanding the new codes updating the plans before giving them to us.And to be fair to the architect we can send in the same plans and depends on which examiner gets them some will fly through others come back with check sheets that an examiner frustration issue.

It binds the landlord, but honestly has little binding effect on a tenant when they simply choose to leave.

A tenant doesn't choose how to pay, a landlord does.

The rate on a HELOC will fluctuate with the market whereas a cash out refi rate will be fixed, so it depends on your risk tolerance in the instance rates were to go up. 

Talk to a few local banks and get preapproved - the best financing will be for properties you choose to occupy, so I'd recommend getting something with at least two units.

If the office is disorganized, their processes likely are, too.Other ConsiderationsExperience: Choose medium-sized firms—they balance resources and personal attention better than large or small firms.Fees: you cannot afford a discount property manager.

I know when i travel to hotels ( which is almost every month) I check for coffee pods and will choose hotel that has them  then i bring my own pods LOL  unless its a real high end hotel and they have the ultra coffee makers  do your cleaners know how to clean the water repository on a Keurig?

The key here is finding the right balance between capital, time commitment, and risk tolerance.

Will depend on several factors like the type of property, type of tenants, your risk tolerance, other assets you own, your estate planning, laws where the property is located, etc.