Additionally, we cover the costs of internet service, as well as landscape and yard maintenance.

While they've provided decent cash flow, the recent maintenance demands have been significant, with one tenant move-out leading to a $20k+ rehab and new appliance/HVAC costs. 

Rents are high, prices are low, and Home Depot will be your 2nd home. 

In the meantime, people who want to buy a home in markets like Syracuse can take advantage of the low prices and strong competition.

I'm curious if you could transfer for $1 from personal to LLC, then the transfer taxes are so low.

The previous owner had delinquencies, vacancies, as well as deferred maintenance and very below market rents.

However, we do our best to run each and every maintenance request by the owner first to let them know what is taking place and give them the option to handle it themselves. 

Being the nearest city to California, the area is easy to manage, has low property taxes, and is favorable to landlords.

However, if you're investing in low income neighborhoods they are by far the best tenants you can get because most all of them are by and large animals, but these animals stay longer and come with guaranteed rent.

At that time, my net worth was pretty low, and as an engineer my income wasn't substantial either so did not make more than 200k/year.