If you ever want to get into a tenant nightmare of costly potential litigation become a landlord, have the ac go out in Phoenix in July, and inform the tenant that you just don’t have the funds to replace it!.    

Tenant shall be charged $[amount] to cover the cost of this force-placed insurance.The other lesson is that you should never hand over keys until you have proof the Tenant has met all requirements.

You need the backup option in case the mid-term rental market changes.Minimizing turn costs and downtime is critical.

You have to include the cost of your time and the work, especially on a "scary house" is daunting indeed. 

Houston's diverse, and the real estate market is buzzing.Check your budget, how much risk you can handle, and what you want from the investment.Montrose, The Heights, Eado, and Museum District are buzzin' with mid-term rental potential.Research the neighborhoods, check the rates, and do the math on costs before diving in.

By the end of 2 years, I could save 50-60k for a down payment, closing costs, and reserves. 

The best place to start is with a spreadsheet that has every every cost itemized. 

We don't believe they are stealing, but their negligence has cost us a lot of money.* Is this enough to file suit in small claims court? 

At this time I manage and renovate majority of all my units to keep cost low but most likely not the best use of my time although I'm skilled at it.

Let's say it's $100 a month and the cost to install a fence is $3,000.