Over the winter I spent just under 2K for labor and around $500 for material (new fixtures, new toilet, new vinyl flooring, wood to replace the floor).The bathroom was a mess.

I'm curious why you used white cabinets in one house, and wood grain in the other. 

Allentown / Bethlehem Is a solId atea, however ectremly competitive and flooded with seasoned investors that are cash heavy.Be careful not to fall into a bidding war and overpay.

They actually granted us an exemption from the requirement for some time, because A) they knew is was really not viable, and B) we have a solid track record of providing quality client education that they could trust.One option may be to move your IRA-owned LLC to another custodian that does not have this requirement, which really is meaningless window dressing.I will add, we are a  very compliance oriented firm with a distinctly conservative approach to reporting and operations using the IRA LLC platform. 

Looking to build a solid team of:Investment-friendly Broker/LenderInvestment-friendly Real Estate Agent (local)Property ManagementI'm a huge believer in referrals and word-of-mouth so I'm hoping I can start from there and eventually network for more opportunities.

All the carpets are ripped out and the old wood subfloors are exposed (i suspect that is where the majority of the smell comes from).

had a nice, young solider  (we're very pro military) ..and then 1 month in, the tenant shows us pictures of obviously baby roaches in the oven.. 100% disgusting.   

As for a solid financing plan, you have a solid plan.

With a good lease and solid understanding of proper and thorough screening, you can eliminate 99% of the problems most landlords have proactively.

@Brandon Sturgill Solid point.