for the extra cash you keep for maintenance and capex issues that might come up unexpectedly.

(It’s a 1021 sq ft box), + realtor/holding/closing/unexpected costs...

To an underwriter, that means that your monthly liability would need to increase in order to cover "unexpected" expenses.

Or are you just allowed to charge what your costs are that you incurred with background checks, credit checks, etc...?

And I know about the MDS charges - I'm looking at all the painful detail of a $200 water bill for a property with the water main shut off!

Then I would mow the grass before the city or county mows it and charges you for the mowing. 

Also, I ran a market analysis and learned that the current owner was charging half of what she should have been charging in rent. 

@Ali Boone , I believe if Prop 10 passes cities would be able to limit what landlords could charge even if a tenant moves out, which would be really bad.

I think the rent is already pretty in line with the market, but of course my property taxes go up a little every year, contractors charge more, and my HOA fee did increase this year as well.

Read books, read these forums, listen to podcasts and save yourself the $20k they want to charge you for all the same information