Also be responsive when they have an issue and be prompt with repairs.

@John Warren Thank you for your prompt response and breaking it down a little further that definitely helps.

Be thankful it wasn’t 2,000$ and pay him promptly .

Issue paperwork promptly and evict when necessary.It is your responsibility to properly train your tennats not allow them to train you.

The city does a terrible job of picking it up, unless you live in a rich white neighborhood, and then they promptly pick it up twice a week.

I have a couple of friends who have gone all in on RE investing, and seeing their success (as well as listening to my father's - and my wife's - consistent instigations) has prompted me to take a closer look and try to learn more. 

Sean,  Thank you for the prompt reply. 

The elderly you hear die are often in nursing homes or alone at home where no one give a crap about them and they cant take care of themselves....yes it happens...but if you are physically capable of taking some action, the risks are very very tinyI would treat it the same way I would treat it for my own family...... not paying big $$ to fix it as an emergency...... fans, portable AC units, going to the mall or the movies or somewhere cooler for the day....suck it up....life will go on while I get it taken care of as promptly as possible...urgent....but not an emergency in 99.9999% of cases.The portable AC units are the best solution...... will do a decent job while you get the solution to the bigger problem figured out.

The one exception I'll make is I do have AC service plans through my Gas/electric company (BGE in MD) that has no deductible and they have their own techs to dispatch so service is prompt and competent.

What prompted it is, you'll get a kick out of it, is an episode of Million Dollar Listing.