It has been 2 years since i left the military, now attending college for a surgical tech position in the near future.

Our strategy is to buy and hold, benefit from the positive monthly cash flows, and sell after about 5 years of stress free property management.The issue I am having is selecting finishes that are reasonably affordable (dare I say cheap), durable for renters, and still get top $ on an appraisal when we go to refinance. 

Our strategy is to buy and hold, benefit from the positive monthly cash flows, and sell after about 5 years of stress free property management.The issue I am having is selecting finishes that are reasonably affordable (dare I say cheap), durable for renters, and still get top $ on an appraisal when we go to refinance. 

If I pay $50 for the Sheriff to issue them a 3-day Pay or Quit Notice, I list the unpaid charges AND the $50 service fee and require them to pay the entire amount or I proceed with eviction.

Only offer discounts to tenants that have proven their worthiness.I would give them written notice of the issues and a deadline to have them handled.

When the lights are dim I notice the poor drywall in my Kitchen/dining room area.  

If you rent month-to-month, you get 30 days notice any time of year with nothing to mitigate your risk.There's a big difference between "charity" and offering a discount to reward good customers.

People see where I'm at in life and think I inherited it or just tripped over my position in life.

I think now I can raise rent when we get it ready... thinking positively!

Since then, I have been soaking up all the info I can, sorting out my personal financial position (Biggerpockets money podcast has helped with that), and gathering the courage to take the leap into my first deal.