There are plenty of deals in Philly on and off-market from wholesalers, who are pretty decent in Philly compared to other places.You will need to get your GC license here and learn the permitting process and necessity here as well.

I am in the process of accepting a 2 month lease month to month for a retired service member and wanted to just document his service animal as being on the property. 

This process is repeated over and over and over. 

This straightforward process allows you to verify encumbrances before considering a property investment.Alternatively, engaging a title company can offer a more comprehensive approach to uncovering liens.

Obtaining the FHA loan is great and you could repeat the process after about a year with the right lender.  

We learned a lot through the process.

@Julie Doke: Industry specific software speaks to you and you can easily relate it to your day to day process.

This will allow you to get the sheriff involved immediately.If you are already past the notice period then you will probably have to follow whatever state laws are in place for the notification period and possibly the eviction process.

Top 3 reasons owners hire PMCs:1) No time to manage correctly2) No time to learn how to manage correcly: laws, documents, processes, etc.3) They're too nice and need someone to "save them from themselves"A good PMC can usually earn their fees by better managing the property/tenant than the owner, thereby:1) Increasing owners net profit2) Decreasing owner's time commitment, stress, headaches, etc.No matter what though, you should always plan to commit a couple of hours a month to manage your PMC.

Just document the current condition before the cleanup process and follow any other local law or procedure that is in your municipality.