I will be seeking to acquire at least one investment property per year and using the buy/hold method to grow my net worth.  

Next thing to try is @Bill G. method of deed in lieu. 

@Paul Stern Are you on the accrual method or cash method of accounting?

Well;  banking is not my business - so my knowledge is only experiential, and banks may well having varying methods of underwriting and ways of assessing / managing risk.  

Needless to say my debt to Income ratio is all out of wack using there method.

@Tyler Beley method ive used in the past and its worked: search for Sold listings under $50,000 in whatever search you use such as zillow. typical/conventional mortgages are generally not available/difficult to find under that price threshold.

If you are interested in his methods you can find him on you tube,  look under Systems Saturdays.

Assuming your bathroom is an average size (5' x 8') the additional cost of replacing maybe 4 sheets of drywall versus the labor intensive method of patching, floating and sanding the existing walls, and hoping you get a uniform finish, is a no brainer.

Hey,The best method to find a property management company is to get a referral from another investor.  

@Joe Villeneuve , what a creative and interesting method to free that cash that is otherwise tied up.