. -- got as-built plans from the previous owner and started marking them up in Microsoft Paint to show an optimized floor plan.

Your operating expenses will likely be higher, due to more maintenance issues related to a house versus an apartment building, more water heaters to break, more exterior items to maintain - fences, site work, drainage, etc.

You'll find:Cutting Edge HomesUS Modular& Ma WilliamsThese companies spend hundreds if not thousand of dollars per month on "SEO" or Search Engine Optimization to appear at the top there.

And folks who maintain jobs and are apartment material will of course keep paying rents (albeit with some concessions, perhaps). 

I want my properties to maintain market rates.  

The numbers look okay for 20% expenses, but not 40% in my market, and I don't want to bank on optimism (or rather I want a 20% buffer).

Hi Derek,Cashflow positive real estate will help your ability to qualify for a primary residence mortgage, not hinder, assuming an REI-friendly lender, and that you maintain adequate PITI reserves (if you have healthy retirement accounts, that'll typically do it). 

Dad has been a very difficult tenant due to having new pets without informing, not maintain yard etc... and other issues.Mom was working in a different city and was not added initially. 

This could have been achieved with creative finance: but not with a conventional loan and more than likely not without a partner.Recommend these secured credit cards:-Citi-Discover (offers rewards)-Capital OneUse automatic payments on the full balance and only utilize 30 percent of your card limit; 10 percent is optimal.

They co-mingle funds, they do not maintain clear and consistent lines of responsibility, etc.