Eric,Most of us would say having some self education is very important in any area you are investing your money in.Using property management to assist you is a way to have someone, that knows the area you are looking to invest in, has access to contractors that are reliable, knows the local laws and frees up some of your time. 

I have a spigot on the outside of my building, and the residents of the building next door keep stealing my water, despite having access to a spigot of their own.

Good of you to put all the info in a thread for other landlords to access easily. the DRE website does a decent job of outlining what's required as well, though it could be much better.

Do you have access to the MLS?

That could be one way to access the funds without tax or penalty and just do a cash deal.

Just making sure that you're positioned in a good location with easy, quick access to the beaches is going to go a long ways and be worth the extra you'll pay for the home to be closer.

This is maybe the number one reason why I believe now is a great time to buy, but pair that will all time low interest rates and easy access to capital… go find a good deal.So what does all of this mean for you?

If you upgrade to pro you have access to several calculators that will tell you your ROI including for a rental.

Can I changed the lock and restrict her access to the property since she broke the lease?

We rehabbed both units to include redoing drywall and insulation, refinishing hardwood floors and adding LTP flooring, adding a new bathroom vanity, replacing some fixtures, andredoing the front deck and adding the back deck for separate access to the back unit.