Easier option is to find friendly new board members as 11 of 35 votes at most meetings is more than enough to gain your candidates win.

Could be a win win if you draft the contract right and have a good contractor.

Happy to do so and think this is a win-win.  

Is there any other method of helping the owner to reduce her debt/liability while I also make money on a property (create win-win scenario )?

Nick,Property taxes will go from 4% to 6% which will double not triple what your taxes are currently.If you can get a tenant in your house that can pay off the rest of your mortgage for you while you can have at least a small or better positive cash flow then I consider that a win.

.- risk of losing the tenant + related expenses + very unclear prospects of winning this case (they would argue that leaking faucet that was not overflowing the bathtub is not something urgent in their mind)Poor alternatives (IMHO):- Tell them to repair the bathroom themselves, but there is no way I can enforce it.- Fix it, talk to them, give them "last Chinese warning" and hope that this will do it.** BTW when I called tenant to tell them that there is a leak, they said: I know, in the bathroom.

Hard money, first deal, sellers market, MLS; I don't see the winning equation in that.Save up 20%, save up operating capital, educate yourself....win.

I don't know if you have heard of Grant Cardone but he has a youtube channel that teaches about apartments and how he evaluates deals and he is a big player in the Apartment space.  

Teresa Person at 1031 Exchange Corporation is very knowledgeable:1031 Exchange CorporationShe presented at our WIN meeting a year or two ago and knew her stuff well.  

With the HOA, I'm coming off a win I earned after eight years of hard work and abuse.