ThanksHello Imani, my husband and I have been building big beautiful brick properties day in and day out in Detroit for the passed 5 years straight and I’m proud to say we are experts in all aspects of building and maintaining successful rental properties in Detroit City.  

Consider the administrative costs of maintaining an LLC before proceeding.

I have already created a single member LLC in my name (husband) and the attorney said that it would be fine to proceed this way and that it would allow me to self-manage and maintain liability protection.

You will need to schedule annual meetings, prepare minutes and maintain good records.

It feels much more decent and way better maintained on the street.

It indicates their reliability in maintaining essential services.6.

You can buy US Treasuries right now and some CDs and get 4.5+% return while maintaining the flexibility of keeping low cost debt on the properties. 

I would recommend doing a "reduced" (~60%-70%) leverage refinance which would help drive your rate down as much as possible and hopefully still maintain the cash flow that you would like to have, especially since they are free and clear.If you were to go the portfolio route, I would confirm with the lender you use what their 'occupancy requirement' is.

2) If the lease that the tenant agreed to included them maintaining the front yard/ landscaping - is it reasonable to deduct a 1 time yard clean-up from their security deposit? 

Financial freedom isn't just about replacing your current income; it's about maintaining your desired lifestyle for the rest of your life.