Or is there a different system I should implement?

Been a Special Education teacher for 25 years- trying to retire and have studied real estate investing... realize I cannot do my own flips after buying my forever home after the hurricane... but that is a different story!

If they are spread out, could be a different story. 

There's many different marketshare that are available here, but it all depends on the location and what you want to deal with.

(One example is episode 534) We can afford to pay the difference to hold onto the property for appreciation but it seems like maybe there is better ways to use our money so that it both cash flows and appreciates. 

I may be able to negotiate things differently.

The camera system is a good idea to get information rapidly.

Keep security deposit in a different account(high interest bearing).

My personal investing goals are almost always different from my client's goals, and at every turning point in a transaction, I do my best to respect that line and not try to inject personal opinions.  

HUD does not let the tenant pay the difference and as a landlord you cannot accept it.