.- Almost impossible to get any kind of unit damage paid for beyond what you have in a security deposit The rest of your statements about the homes needing a ton of work, contractors costing the same, and dealing with properties that are very tough to force appreciate are spot on.I personally do not invest in Section 8 housing anymore because they are normally cash flow purchases.  

In addition to trash and some other problems I'm wondering if the theft is enough to keep the deposit.

She found a house, i paid the usual fees (pet deposit, security deposit, first month rent.)

Solera on the other hand can accept mobile deposit of up to  $1Million!

The security deposit is approximately 10% of total repairs so it won't cover most of the damages.

When you renew, you can add a pet deposit with the new lease. 

The vast majority of lawsuits against Landlords are for wrongful eviction, security deposit disputes, and Fair Housing Violations.

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.

@Brady HerbaughIf you decide to house hack, set up a separate bank account to deposit the rental income and pay rental related expenses.

The vast majority of lawsuits against Landlords are for wrongful eviction, security deposit disputes, and Fair Housing Violations.