This can lead to more opportunities and partnerships.Market Understanding: As a property manager, you'll gain a deeper understanding of the local market, which can be invaluable when you start acquiring your own properties.Steady Income Stream: Property management can provide a consistent income, which can be particularly beneficial in the early stages of your real estate venture.Skill Development: You'll develop a range of skills from customer service to maintenance oversight, which are crucial for successful property ownership.Brand Recognition: Establishing a presence as a reliable property management company can boost your reputation, making it easier to attract tenants and investors when you start acquiring properties.Cons:Time Commitment: Property management can be time-consuming, especially if you're dealing with multiple properties or demanding clients.Regulatory Compliance: Staying compliant with local laws and regulations requires diligence and can be complex.Conflict Resolution: Dealing with tenant issues and conflicts is an inevitable part of property management and can sometimes be challenging.Financial Risk: There are financial risks involved, including late payments or damage to properties.Market Fluctuations: The property market can be unpredictable, affecting both rental income and property values.Overall, starting with a property management company can be a smart way to enter the real estate space, especially in an area with a clear need for such services.

The sellers were under agreement with another buyer who pulled out when Helene came through (even though the restaurant suffered no damage), so they are looking to close quickly (end of year) and retire.

I have talked to OOS investors that lost big doing single family turnkey rentals in recent years because the "great tenant" that came with the house moved out mid lease and did $30k of damage on exit.What I believe you are really going after is: don't be dumb money.  

Not sure what the interior will look like, but hopefully you have photos of prior to occupancy, so that you will be able to claim against their security deposit, and a judgement for past due rents and any damages

I think guests hardly ever damage things intentionally, but when you have luggage coming in and out all the time and little kids running around a "new place," there IS a lot more wear-and-tear, scuffs/dents/scrapes, and broken glass. 

I haven't been expanding my business with LMHA since the end of 2016 per my posts above so I don't know exactly what changed, but I expect the outsourcing of inspections to private industry + some executive level leadership + replacement of staff with new faces excited to serve the needs of HUD/Landlords/Those In Need has resulted in an agency I will develop more business with.The HCVP will always be a double edged sword for landlords (See Section 8 Bible discussion) but for now I have discovered it is finally worth the effort to participate in the program.I specialize in Toledo's transition neighborhoods, discounted houses on the edge of nicer areas but also on the edge of trash...the Section 8 program allows me to get long-term tenants who are a good business model provided they are consistently managed and visited/inspected for additional "visitors" (relatives and random dogs/cats) and damage/housekeeping which can destroy a home if left unchecked.You need to know the rules, repair and renovate for long-term durability, prepare for inspections thoroughly and keep a team of contractors who will hold those standards...after 8 years we have been through a hundred inspections.

Make sure you’re checking in on your tenants, getting them to document any damage, and having solid insurance coverage.

The last tenants did some damage to the interior of the house and repairs like, sheet rock, fixtures, paint, etc. need to be completed. 

@Tyler Gilpin When you say "does pretty well", is that more of a commentary on the quality of the tenant (aka "lack of damages to your property") or the timeliness of payments (either via HUD or the tenant's portions)?

When they finally move out, you'll discover a ton of unreported maintenance and possibly damage caused by failure to maintain.Landlords should encourage tenants to report maintenance issues.