HOA dues are around $315/month and that includes water and utilities. 

Yale locks - all the top enterprise lock companies utilize them.

The state, utility companies, contractors, etc. 

Take your savings as a renter and invest out of state in income properties that will produce positive cash flow.

I would not rely on what the seller is telling you, unless he can produce the background checks and credit checks reports for you from these tenants if he collected it in the past. 

But once your in a actual office and learning setting .. there are all sorts of free course the brokers have for you your directly talking and going to meetings with successful people.. trying to do this and think hey I am going to be an investor before I even know what I am going to do or how to do it .. to me is about as tough as it gets.. yes you can listen to pod cast and read blogs etc.. but nothing is as good as sitting with top producers and listen to how they do things.. and be on their team.. you get paid to learn. then you can invest .. one you get experience and two you get paid to get experience.. 

Since you are over retirement age, you can choose to take distributions of the income your investments produce and will pay taxes only on what you take out.

I will be utilizing this means (as well as others) to implement the "retirement" phase of my life. 

My tenant just moved in and has not switched utilities over in her name yet.

I will sell it to him for $1He agreed to pay $12,500 in 12 months to cover the money I have invested in it ( Down payment)  and some 3,000 Profit For MeHe also agreed to pay all the utilities, and all repairs, damages that the house may need, now and later.