I can connect you and she'll share some tips for sure.   

We have been very sweet to these tenants - we rented them home when they had no credit history, we fixed every problem they reported(and they reported every small thing they noticed), we took care of them when the kitchen was non functional for a couple of days.

@Chris Sayers, they said they if got bill for penalties to send it to them and they'd take care of it.

Listing agents don't care.

The best source of funding is subjective because it's going to vary based on what's important to you.Do you care more about the terms?

As long as you qualify, most banks won't care if you do or don't own your own home first. 

Keep a keen eye on economic indicators, employment rates, and local development plans to gauge the overall health of the market.Maintenance Costs Can Sneak Up On You: It is easy to factor in property taxes, insurance, and regular maintenance, but unexpected repair costs can throw a wrench into your financial plans.

First of all, who cares what your interest rate is on a home?

Be careful about trying too hard to satisfy tenants.

The pre screen took care of most of riff raff and the 25$ application fee took care of the rest.