I'm looking to get a better broad picture of what is involved with being a landlord, and would obviously also like to pick your brain about the process and lessons you've learned.

For instance, did you know that the mineral rights to a plot of land don’t always come with the house that’s on that plot?

I'm a network engineer by day at a small community bank in Polk County and a land lord by night.

Just a guy from Houston/Sugar Land, Texas. 

I intend on order appraisals and inspections. 5 of the 7 units are rented and I have requested a copy of the lease documentation to understand what the current tenants expected from the previous landlord.

I've never owned a rental so I'm having trouble guessing but I HAVE rented multiple house (active duty military I move a lot) and I've never seen my landlord dropping hundreds every month, usually zero dollars 95% of the time.

Some background about me: I have a full time insurance sales job, so I will most likely be using a property manager (unless you suggest otherwise), I've never rented property before, so I have 0 experience being a landlord.

Does anyone know if cross collateral agreements are recorded  in land records against properties that are collateralized?  

I speak to a lot of frustrated landlords who have 5-10 c class properties.

They have the best landlord policies that I have found.