Somehow the deliberate decision to forgo working to build your own future because you are hoping to get aid from the government (and aid that you will in all likelihood have to repay) seems..... well kind of needy and dependant - especially with 12 years to plan.  

You can certainly own houses long distance, but choose your market deliberately don't just buy where you are because it's close.

Going through those deliberations with one of my investor clients.

So I can say that I am not a total noob to but there is so much more to learn from you all.My strategy has deliberately been very narrow to only invest in rentals as I have a full time job that I love.My 10 year goal is to build passive income source to be financially independent.

My paper application is very deliberately designed to look friendly and easy to complete, and I often do need to coach people on filling it out.  

If you deliberately exclude all applicants with children, specifically because of their family status, you are very much violating federal fair housing.  

Usually they are hard to scratch unless done deliberately.

Is this a mistake or deliberate?

unfortunately most appliances have short life spans these days and that one back up could have done it in.As far as getting the tenant to cover the damage you may be out of luck on this unless you can prove that they where somehow deliberately trying to damage the dishwasher or negligent by pouring stuff down the sink that caused the back up.best of luckMike

I would not likely happen deliberately.