new to the community here.I'm 22 and extremely interested in becoming an investor.Currently, I'm making somewhat good money working in the casino industry as a dealer, but I know I don't want to be working for someone else my entire life.

If not, then you  may end-up removing sections of subfloor.We've had a post dog renovation (after 9-years) that required a full gut to the studs and slab and a complete rebuild of the apartment to get rid of the stench.In the future, either do not allow pets or check-in on your tenants more frequently.

The Tallahasee Board of Realtors has seminars like this frequently and we receive alerts regarding them.

The title company that I work with told me that this happens frequently.

@Michael MozieFlipping houses is considered a business and if done on a frequent basis would not be 100% sheltered under the umbrella of a self-directed retirement plan.Such plans are fully tax sheltered when receiving passive income, which includes interest, dividends, royalties, and rent from real property.When a tax-exempt entity is engaging in a trade or business on a regular or repeated basis, then a tax known as UBIT (Unrelated Business Income Tax) applies to the gains.  

Just like 9 out of 10 folks who frequent BP come and go and never really do anything past buying a rental or two.. but its the dream man its the dreamFor every one of @Steve Vaughan  there are 95 that will Never get were he is.. you have to follow his career path and admire it .. ground up worked hard  and now is living the life that most newbies are dreaming of.. but I don't know maybe he learned it all from Carlton Sheets..  

If this is going on frequently, it only takes 20 occurrences and you've literally paid for an entire property.

Lunches stretch out, breaks become more frequent, etc.  

@Katherine S.The general practice we follow with residential properties is "if we have an {almost} immediate use for all the equity that we can/would withdraw from a property, we will refinance and place a mortgage to obtain a more favourable interest rate"  ... here, that means locking-in for a maximum of 5-yrs (no one takes a 10yr term) ... for you it frequently means locking-in for the amortization of the mortgage. 

If you don't want to do repairs after work at all, and take frequent vacations without a network of connections for repairs, you are better of getting a manager.