@Robert Tucker, if your looking for topics to blog about, I would suggest writing about how to use PM & HM properly and creatively.

Tenant has apparently had issues with repairs in the home (unbeknownst to me, as I've authed every repair to come across from PM) and threatened rent escrow as a means to have repairs properly completed (unbeknownst to me, my belief was that they were completed and properly) then followed through a month later ..

I am looking to make connections in the NYC/NJ area and start making the proper moves to own my first building by end of year (probably looking to buy a duplex)!

Doing proper due diligence on even just a single deal takes time.

My advice would be to get the insurance, form a company and get the proper licensing from your local jurisdiction.

@Leon Lee it could be that they made an adjustment that they didn't have a line item for, or the comps were weak ie they were in a different neighborhood and your property was hard to value with proper comps but they had to do the best they could. 

changes the equation quite a bit.Also, you aren't figuring out your expenses properly. it is not as simple as saying "mortgage is x, rent is y, so cash flow is Y minus X." what happens when the place sits empty for a month?

If you have all the proper information to take him to small claims it is likely the best route for any chance of getting your money back.

Month-to-month agreements are typically better for the landlord since you can usually change the terms whenever you want with proper notice (often with as little as 30 days notice), increase the rent as much and as often as you want (again, often with as little as 30 days notice), and more easily sever ties with tenants who aren’t working out. 

Long-term, buy & hold is a great strategy - I've always been a firm believer that you have the upper hand with these properties in the investment field because you have the advantage of being first in an area then being able to wait for appreciation for whenever you want to sell "when the time is right".Often times, these rental properties also don't involve the full scale upgrades (less money out-right) that you would need in a traditional fix-&-flip in order to hit projected ARV's.The one draw-back here is out-sourcing your rentals to a property management company - which finding the right one for the right price can take some time to vet - or else managing the property yourself, in which case you will need to start building relationships with contractors to ensure proper repairs are being done and the needs of your tenants are being met.You can do buy & holds out of state easily, too, just find the right market that is land-lord friendly (for example, mid-west: Indiana), and I think its fair to say you could do well long-term with the right properties!