My immediate reaction is much aligned with the crowd, anywhere you buy a $20,000.00 home for cash, prepare yourself for a substantial amount of work.An alternate option you amy want to consider is working with a turnkey provider and purchasing something that is already operational, utilize someone else expertise to grow and jump start your investing.  

That means putting money aside for vacancies/non-payers, maintenance and repairs, and utilities.

This is no different than what one receives when terminating their TV cable service, utilities, or health club membership: it’s called the final bill.

Working with a Title Company will be useful, to learn if there are any additional judgements against the property and delinquent accounts such as unpaid utilities, HOA Fees, etc. 

Here are the numbers: * if I missed something feel free to communicate   Monthly Rent: $1,395 PITI: $594.85 Property Management: $139.50 (10%) Vacancy Rate: $97.65 (7%) Cap Ex: 69.45 (5%) Utility/Misc. (5%) Cash Flow: $382.43 *CF is used to build a 6 month emergency fund of PITI.

The second community I bought, I got cocky, and underestimated the cost of utility repairs.

I am a newbie to philly sheriff's tax sale , and kept asking this question to everybody to make sure i have the right clear answer , even at the sheriff's sale i asked one of the shirreffs, but was not quite sureDo i have to run a title search for any property i am interested in at Tax foreclosure sale , or also search it at the city hall records for any other mechanical liens , utility bills , etc... or i do get the tax deed free and clear as some of them said ??

The question I have is, in order to make it rent ready and not to spend too much to make it look so luxurious, what are the basic things that a rental home will need with low maintenance.

No title company in TX will issue a title policy util after two years.  

I contacted local utilities as well--no issue in transferring that either.