I managed a low end apartment block for several years. 

Why hasn't your property manager already answered this question?

Let's talk,DanIve actually been looking into buying a condo myself as an investment, I have a few rules, needs to be with both good hoa management & relatively cheap fee (bellow $600 a month) needs to be in area where I’m not competing against other new construction apartments, needs to be an area where even townhomes are so expensive you are not competing, I.e. upper nw, nova, Bethesda etc. needs to be 1990’s or newer in most cases.

Daniel,If its something you really like from all accounts, get with an inspector and property manager to give their thoughts on the area, condition of the property etc...

Our manager’s credit score requirement is 550, but even that has been hard to satisfy.

That means learning how to vet a manager.

Good luck  Total Rents Collected: $23,025/mo Debt Service: $12,358/mo (sad for me. 8% interest rates lol) Property Management 10%: $2,303/moReserves (Vacancy 5%, Maintenance 10%): $3,454/moPhantom Cash Flow: $8,365/moTrue Cash Flow: $4,911/mo (Money I can legit burn)  bob as you probably know I owned a few hundred of these types of homes from DetroitCleveland to Jackson ms  Birmingham balt city etc etc.  

I’ve been managing commercial real estate for about 10 years and want to start investing in real estate.Outside of real estate, I enjoy golf, live music, hanging out with friends and familyExcited to learn and connect with you all!

The same is true with property management.

@Robert Spiegel Great question, and it’s always a balancing act when dealing with long-term tenants who’ve been fantastic overall.Based on my experience managing over 1,200 rental homes in North Texas, including areas like Dallas, Fort Worth, Plano, and Frisco, here’s how I would approach this:Cleaning Charge: While $540 may feel steep, it can vary depending on the size of the property and local market rates.