•Low time requirement for operations – the rental operations can be automated to a large extent maintaining a high hourly return and helping ensure quality control.Financing We have found a mortgage broker who seems to be doing a good job so far. 

Made sure to check the ledger and T12 to ensure that the tenant was qualified correctly before purchasing the property.

Supplement this far simpler entity approach by ensuring you have appropriate types and levels of insurance, you operate your business in a manner in which your conduct is not considered an exclusion in your policy, you work with licensed and insured vendors, you execute contracts with indemnification clauses with these same vendors/ require additional insured status &  maintain appropriate licensing and permits.

Told me the violation wasn't corrected in the 30 days required timeframe (yes you are correct, the repairs were done in time but they didn't come out to confirm). 

I'll focus on maintaining the property and optimizing rent increases to ensure consistent returns over the years.

Of course "hoping" rates will come down is not a sound strategy so finding a way to assume a loan that already took advantage of low rates is a great option.If you were starting over and targeted a large SFH, would you try to maintain the property in a way that would still attract regular homebuyers (not investors) if you needed to sell?

The fact that you think the tenant is a pain has nothing to do with how you maintain the property, you could be creating legal and maintenance problems for yourself by not taking action. 

Is that correct?

@Chad Urbshott Correct, Olympia Trust is one of three places mentioned to set up a trust.

Again, all answers that might be better answered in private.You are correct that a lot of lenders just don't understand how we work as investors but that's why some of us hang out here.