Do you recommend using a general contractor, or would it be more cost-effective to handle it myself with subcontractors?

I’m a new investor and looking to invest in a small multi family.

I allow pets on a case by case basis that way I have the ability to say no to a pet I do not want. 

I have been saving for a down payment on a rental property.

I do regular front house portrait first, then a secondary front if there is a wider one for the front setback, then front aerial (one, if you did them), then I always start with the walkthrough of the house to tell a story in photos.

In my state, Minnesota, changing the locks on a tenant before the tenancy is ended is a huge problem. 

I have been trying to find a rental in Austin and numbers are way off.

What experience do people have with this, is there a way out and "off" their list.

Do I send a one page letter?

You'd probably need to talk to a contractor and the City.