I would check this out with a seasoned securities attorney for their opinion/guidance.  

Good Morning,I am a former Claims Specialist with the Social Security Administration and currently unemployed homeowner who is looking for guidance on how to gain property management experience here in the Central Coast of California.My wife is the only one working at the moment, so times are tough to say the least.We're looking to rent out a portion of our home in order to save up enough money to purchase our second home (or multi-family unit), rent that out, and begin to expand our portfolio. 

On 12/19/2024, we sold it for $99,000, securing a great return.

Motivated sellers and distressed properties are more likely to surface.Creative Financing: Higher interest rates are opening doors to strategies like seller financing or subject-to deals, where you can secure more favorable terms directly from sellers.Shift in Buyer Preferences: With work-from-home trends still influencing housing demand, suburban and secondary markets are seeing strong growth.

It's simply factual:  you violated the lease by smoking, stop it, remove the resulting odor and that a repeat action could result in eviction and loss of security deposit.  

Securing financing upfront is paramount.

Consider all the things that could go wrong and see if the lease addresses them: unauthorized pets or tenants, early termination, security deposit, lease violations, late rent, eviction, lawn maintenance, parking, etc.5.

I absolutely target retention through many methods.

Simultaneously, you're managing applicants and tenants, who are often working within tight timelines to secure or renew leases.

I would encourage you to learn the market you plan to invest in now and to continue to learn about the different methods of investing.