Any tips are welcome.

5 tips i should keep in my mind when buying  rental property? 

They've ruined many financial lives and simply don't care. 

It sounds like my refrigerator/freezer is passing away! I would love any advice on landlords' favorite brands or models that last well and are not complicated. And are there any tricks to for the purchase as a landlor...

What tips do you have for someone just getting started?

Best tips are take it slow and make sure you have significant reserves when you leave your w2 also don't buy a company car if you already have a car just to say it's for work.

Staff often seemed to focus on one requirement at a time, and only moving on to others as each was taken care of, instead of starting them all at the same time.

You're learning about the eviction process, tenant screening (never "word of mouth" again), the power of a lease WHEN not IF a neutral third party needs to be involved, tenant/landlord laws, and managing tenants who don't care about your business the way you do. 

I guess that tipped him off that I, or someone, was coming, because the new contractor got a call from Chris.

I care most about the Internal Rate of Return (helps me determine how long to hold a property), the cash on cash return (helps me decide why this investment vs other options, and it also takes into consideration appreciation of the property!)