Has anyone had experience with the Hamilton County (Ohio) Emergency Rental Assistance Program?

I would say that possibly having someone give you a personal loan for a short period of time might solve the problem until you can build an emergency fund and pay them back. 

Looking for some advise on how to make the transition as smooth as possible. in the process of drafting our letter to the tenets, to give to them at closing, with info for how to pay rent, us being the new owners. emergency contact information.

I was looking into getting Google Voice and have office hours but in case of an emergency, what is the best way to reach you?

I don't think that necessarily means "Pay off all the student loan debts" but it does mean: - Having a large spread between income and expenses by generating a strong income and living well, well below your means- Having a stockpile of personal cash - enough for a 3-6 month personal emergency reserve - On top of that, having cash for the down payment, closing costs, expected repairs, and a strong buffer (perhaps $10-$15K at minimum for a $400K property) for real estate purposes- Having strong credit, and no bad debtsThis might take many families 12-18 months, but I think that it is worth it to enter real estate investing from a position of financial strength, rather than put all the chips on the table in an all-in bet.

Heading into hurricane season is a tough time to be emergency shopping for a new policy. 

Are you going to be keeping it for emergency funds, home improvements, purchase another property?

In this case you may only save a minimal amount for emergencies. 

It's also in an area I'm familiar with and close enough for me to get there in an emergency (or to go take a trip to the beach). 

I’ve spent the last year preparing myself financially so I’ve already already paid off bad debt, have no auto loans, great credit, emergency savings, stock investments, and now I have money set aside for real estate and looking to do my first deal.