We put down large down payments and keep a beefy emergency fund. 

I did have a family emergency that took me out of office unexpectedly, and caused me to lack follow up for a couple weeks. 

Allowing you to keep the other portion for any repairs that may come up or emergency, use it as another down payment. 

I've always been of the mind that I should listed to flight attendants when they say "in case of an emergency, put on your oxygen mask first and then help those around you".

While Akron offers affordability, Cleveland emerges as a better bet for steady rental income due to high renter occupancy.

Self fund your reserves with savings and the cash flowsI get that but also a line of credit is like an emergency fund. 

Several things to contribute here: 1) Private Lenders with no credit experience emerge doing down payment and 100%/High LTV financing at the end of every cycle, 2) they're among the first to loose their shirts in every downturn, 3) although someone termed this type of lending "gator", it's not new, 4) the guy that coined it didn't get into real estate untill well after the last crash, 5) he has no real credit background or experience (he's never been a lender), 6) Google the guy's name and "looses professional license in AZ" to see what pops up, and finally 7) he's really effective at telling people what they want to hear, filling their heads full of hopes and dreams, getting them to buy his training, and his minios generally won't want to hear what a real, seasoned lending vet will try to tell them.

It was a single licensed manager with support staff, and turned out she had a family emergency and just stopped working.

One thing you can guarantee is there will be some kind of emergency in your life. 

However, amidst the turmoil, opportunities emerge as some investors seize the chance to purchase distressed properties at significant discounts.