The AC maintenance is minimal with "swamp coolers" that we have here in NM, and my husband does that, so it doesn't add much expense, just new pads each year.  

Doesn't your broker provide assistance? 

It doesn't necessarily have to be Austin - I'm open to the surrounding areas.

@Bob Okenwa@Martin Mondejar, I would agree with Bob that the rent to price ratio doesn't seem to align with the rest of the Phoenix market. 

If the collector doesn't provide them, I recommend you figure something out to ensure tenants have an easy way to dispose of garbage before it piles up in your back yard.

Doesn't need to have brand new hardwood floors, but what if the HVAC is 18 years old?

They can and often do save deals that fall apart when the borrower doesn't qualify for conventional financing. 

Montco doesn’t provide code violations or vacant homes lists.

So if you make an inflated offer including closing costs and the property doesn't appraise, the deal has to be renegotiated if the buyer doesn't have the money to pay closing costs.You can also take a slightly higher interest rate in many cases and get a lender credit to cover closing costs (or a portion of costs).  

The tenant pool doesn't matter.