What were your experiences when you first started, and what would you do differently now?

Here's your Michigan landlord "bible", read it several times and refer to it as needed:https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Publications/tenantlandlord.p...

It's the best way to gain experience, work with buyers and make money while you're growing your business. 

For instance if I am looking in a Class D neighborhood in Los Angeles- which I am not- I know from personal experience that customer base values certain things in a rental.

We are reading and researching and deciding what form of real estate we should start with. 

And, a minority of landlords will experience tenants who stay put for years or decades paying under market rent.

You will have a mismatch between depreciation allowed from the federal & state level for the entire life of the property which can create some added administrative burden for some.Just in case there is confusion by the way, you are still allowed to take bonus depreciation under your federal return, just not for the state of Connecticut (among some others if others are reading.

the simple reply to your question is they do not exist  except for very experienced repeat clients. someone with no experience or very limited experience is not going to get a true no money down HML..

All three of my tenants in the Pottsville property are enrolled in the Pottsville Housing Authority and I have had good experience working with that organization.There is a Schuylkill County Real Estate Investors Group on Meetup.com which might be worth checking out.

Sounds like you already have a good amount of experience