Suggested to do that earlier than later, so there is no liability on a tenant who is not on the lease paper.

I am guessing that the vast majority of homes 10+ years old had some sort of water damage at some point, most had probably several.My own home is only a few years old and we had the washer spring a leak and a few years later the RO system in the kitchen started leaking into the cabinet.Seller disclosures are pretty useless in my opinion.

Starting sooner rather than later allows you to benefit from long-term appreciation, build equity, and gain hands-on experience, even with a smaller property.

So, they could potentially buy another house later on.

I'm purchasing in Columbus with the mindset of holding for 7-10 plus years for a later exit with equity built 

On utilities, I bought a foreclosure in NJ and found out it was not attached to Town sewer and I actually had to extend the main line up to my property then put the lateral in and abandon an old cesspool.  

Do it again two years later and you'll be in the top 10% of Americans.

It’s also important to be as specific as possible in the scope of work for each line item—clear details can save you from misunderstandings or unexpected costs later on.I specialize in consulting services for situations just like this, helping clients work confidently with contractors by bridging the knowledge gap.

If the only MFH options you're finding are in areas you're not comfortable with, it might be worth focusing on a duplex in a better neighborhood.Saving up for a larger property later is a valid approach too, but keep in mind that real estate tends to appreciate over time, and waiting might make it harder to enter the market later.

It seems to me that any addendum signed later after the initial lease may create a messy situation.