I'm a construction cost estimator building my real estate network, and want to offer my experience to the BP forums.I've spent 3 years in residential estimating and 5 years in commercial estimating.

Does anyone have experience doing this and can show me how best to go about it? 

Look for signs of that because in my experience these people that are not on the lease and not liable for anything don't generally care the property.1. 

If you play your cards right with real estate you can reduce your tax bill significantly.

Does anyone have suggestions or experience in this area?

As Jonathan mentioned, this is a technique for experienced investors, not something a beginner should play around with.

Just your basic 20% down get a loan, etc.I know there are 84 other variables that come into play in making the decision.Does the think tank here have any general pieces of advice?

Does anyone have suggestions or experience in this area?

To avoid going through the same poor experience, keep reading.Even if someone gives you a referral here, do NOT make the mistake of assuming that the PMC will meet your expectations, just because they met the expectations of the referral source.In our experience, the #1 mistake owners make when selecting a Property Management Company (PMC) is ASSUMING instead of CONFIRMING.It's often a case of not doing enough research, as they don't know what they don't know!

Quote from @Zenna Weis: Yes, you can charge the tenant for the repair or replacement if they were the cause.I'm not a licensed plumber, but I have enough experience to believe this is an exaggerated case.