I'm pretty satisfied not having to deal with hot water heaters, lawn care, the roof, etc. etc.

Not to hijack, but I wanted to thank @Thomas Rutkowski for giving me a different way of looking at some life insurance products for RE investing - the water cooler experts seem to bash those types of insurance products on the basis of hear say...Thanks to @Charlie Fitzgerald for showing your position on the matter.

Justin Pergo has a new laminate called outlast at Home depot it water , dog, kid resistance and you have 24 hours to remove spill and a limited life time warranty

I always make sure that properties that I look at have separate electric and water meters.

A few days ago, the tenants at a SFH contacted me saying they have no running water and the pump just kept running until they switched off the break.

I ask a number of questions like what is space rent, what are other expenses like garbage, water, and electricity.

(I'm licensed so have MLS access).Pretty easy stuff to do in the 'burbs.If I'm in a city or near water, I definitely ask local agents.

Curtis Waters may be of help also.

If you can't live with them (or are concerned that tenants will keep you in hot water all the time) then don't buy. 

For example, things like a source of heat (furnace) in the wintertime, a working water heater, working plumbing/electrical systems, etc.