We've conducted thorough due diligence, including appraisals and inspections on every property.

Therefore, I understand that you would need to include the cleaning fees in your expenses.  

New here, but have been reading the forums for several months as I consider real estate investing, but am having a hard time convincing my spouse the potential "hassle" of a poor tenant is worth the benefits.Our situation includes both of us working full time w-2 jobs and our primary goal is to assist in reducing annual tax burdens. 

Your best bet is to allow them to break the lease and keep the security as the early termination fee.

That includes the architects, structural and MEP engineers fees as well as the city permit.

If your getting cash-flow or breaking even I wouldn't try and refinance or shorten your mortgage.

Almost everyone here on BP will tell you that they wish they had started earlier, myself included. 

Then write up your own statement explaining it, to include the amount of rent income lost (or other expenses) due to the delays.

Good cash flow, slow and steady appreciation over all and, in my almost 15 years of managing in Beaver, it seems like you get more longer term tenants (3-5 years and longer) but, as Jeremy said, you sometimes have to weed through a few more applications to find good ones.I'll send you a dm of a few good contacts in Beaver county including a great investment agent, lender, and pm company. 

Some of the core topics we hope to explore in our BiggerPockets profile include:- How our military experience has prepared us for the challenges of real estate investing- The process of getting started, from investment knowledge, to understanding different roles and titles used by real estate investors- The specific goals and milestones we've set for ourselves as we navigate this new field- The surprises, setbacks, and moments we encounter as we learn the ropes of real estate investingBy sharing our journey, we aim to provide a helpful resource for other newcomers looking to get started in real estate.