Push hard on your rates, even if you gain a half percent it adds up!

Tenants also expect a lot of owner paid updates. 500-1500 sq ft spaces are easiest to lease in our market.

If we are heading into winter I prefer to do like a one and half year lease to line up the end of the lease with the warmer months.

Something to keep in mind as well is that the entire real estate market is high right now, at least where I am multis are selling for 25%+ what they were just a year and a half ago.

My friend and I have been talking about getting a place together and go half’s on the utilities.

Or buy a duplex (where I live you'd need to still get a large loan on top of the $100K), live in one half and rent the other half. 

He has a master's degree in taxation and can handle the most complicated situations along with the easiest and you will learn about investing just by talking to him. 

The other half were conventional and cash.

They left the unit in pretty rough shape: smoke damage in every room, ceiling fan broken, bedroom door broken in half, trash left behind, food rotting in fridge, and just general damage throughout.

@Wilfred Kolkman The easiest way would be to purchase the property on a commercial note.