The total cost for fencing, landscaping, renovating the guest house was $10k What was the outcome?

New fence, all new landscaping.

Rehabbing vacant units, lots and lots of landscaping, cleaning streets and the entire neighborhood, encouraged tenants to personalize homes with a contest for Halloween, etc...

Have been struggling to find a good landscaping maintenance company for my long term hold rentals for years now.

I love landscaping.

I can even refer you a landscaper whose given me some reasonable prices on it in the past.

You also have to take into account vacancy, repairs, property management costs, possible pest/landscaping costs.The general rules you will find on BP is that 50% if your rent will go to expenses (what I listed above), and then the mortgage payment comes out of the other 50% and any left over is true profit (typically aiming at $100 per door).

Yes the HOA fees and rules aren't ideal but if you find something that provides good cash flow is a good way to get your feet wet while you get experience..Typically with a Condo you're only responsible for the "Walls Within", landscaping anything outside the HOA covers it..FHA loan can work but if you're not looking to House Hack than its not an option..

That being said, purchasing at such a low price point and having equity in the home, it would make sense to refinance and hold for the long run given the location and expansion plans with campus.

Aaron, my thought is that the monthly fee is probably right in the ball park of what landscaping and snow removal would be.