I pull comps all the time - you have to run the #"s if you want to make an offer on something to prevent Buyer's from overpaying... but in today's market...

I have been given the sense that maintenance means things like routine repairs (new doorknob, broken light fixture, a stuck drain) routine preventative upkeep (winterizing, etc.)

That, I would think, it better for you in either case.Boy, that would be nice, in Indiana, it just prevents them from entering the home and it sits as a big oozing mess on my property until the owner gets it done or I jump through all the legal hoops to get control of the title so I can get a permit to move and have a mover haul it off to the dump. 

You need to have someone that you trust but that also understands the market to keep your occupancy as high as possible.As far as tenant issues, even the best PM cant prevent these.

@Jason Malabute does sound like a rough year but acknowledging the challenges and taking them head on will prevent the same thing from happening in 2021.

For us foced air duct work would not only be a very expensive solution but a logistical nightmare.Our NG heat runs about $2,000 a year & I just dropped in a new 30 gall HW tank (Yep the old 70gall burst @ 1am). 

There is no law that prevents you from renting a property out immediately after purchasing it.

I believe it tends to give me a slightly lower return, because the sponsor is going to be more careful, and if there is a severe downturn will prevent me from taking catastrophic losses.

For insurance, we joined a sort of Christian co-op that doesn't pay for preventative care, but did pay for emergencies, like when my son broke his hand. 

In the lease, it states that any person not on the lease can stay a max of 24 hours which prevents significant others from getting a free place to stay.