Ideally, you'd want closer to $40k-$50k to feel truly comfortable and have a safety net for your first investment property.

That’s why I invested in rentals—to have a safety net.I'm not exactly sure where you're at, but if your current situation is causing frustration or stress, there’s no shame in selling a property to free up capital.

If they find something I didn’t know about and they couldn’t have, or safety related then I’ll consider/cover some of it.

Same as you wouldn't only invest in one stock (or the stock market), diversifying allows you a bit of a safety net in case one goes down.With real estate a lot of people focus on cash flow, but remember tenants are paying down your mortgage for you and helping you build equity and over time (eg 5-10 years) your house will also appreciate in value.

Instant equity creates a margin of safety.

These are examples of how you could still be comparing apples to oranges focusing on safety and cash flow alone.

Hoarding becomes a violation when it presents a fire hazard or other safety issue, attracts pests, or potentially damages the property.

I have some relatives that will never leave the safety net of a job  or even invest in RE due to the not thinking outside of the box (or cubicle).

Honestly, hiring a lawyer might end up costing more than the process itself, especially if things don't go in your favor.I’d recommend approaching the neighbor directly to discuss it, making sure they’re aware of the serious safety risk.

You gotta always have that margin of safety