For day to day maintenance, you can figure around 5% but CAP Ex depends on the condition and remaining life of your big ticket items like HVAC and roof.

Attending council meetings to prolong the life of the contract was key.

Share value added content in posts and they get voted up (unless the OP does not like the answer and then ego and human nature kicks in and they get defensive).The cowardly internet dumpster replies get voted up as well.

Time to take a serious look at adjusting your personal life style.

Sound like to need to see professional advice in this area.To your question:  If she is going to stay in the home that needs repairs then you might look into a Reverse Mortgage that will let you pull out enough money to rehab the home and then she can live in it payment free for the rest of her life. 

There will always be fear inducing headlines and a general reaction, but people will get used to it and life will go on. 

Meanwhile going to the real estate clubs and meeting real life investors - I cannot overstate how valuable those connections are.

You are not playing the victim (very important in life) and you are not blaming anyone but yourself (very important in this business).   

I would always go with a mid-size company where you can still talk to a human and not get treated like a number. 

I recently found and joined bigger pockets joined became pro, and have made it my life every spare moment i have.