This isn’t a method that costs more or less IMO.

I can have someone periodically clean them up.. would that be more cost-effective than spending it on gutters?

After they moved out, I was doing the tenant turn over (cleaning, painting, etc) and one day while I'm there it starts to rain. 

"We strive to provide safe, clean, affordable, comfortable, and quiet housing for responsible renters."

Are they keeping the place clean - no holes in the walls, etc?

So if I start with a duplex or a quad as my first property my goal would be to have a net cash flow of $500I intend to use the "BRRRR" (Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat) method but have never used this strategy before so I still have a lot to learn If I only close on two deals starting in 2019 then I will need to find another 20 deals in the remaining four years (2020-2024) that also meet this criteriaBeyond 2024 I plan to continue to scale even more over the next 3-5 years with an end goal of financial independence by ~2030 (meaning that I will not work a "day job" but will passively manage my real estate portfolio)Biggest hurdle: I'm going to be living outside of the US for the next 3 years and will (likely) not be able to physically see any properties that I plan to purchase.

Last night we had a contractor come in, assess the damage and then work on cleaning it all up, drying it out and spraying.

-properties with deeded parking can be rent on spothero for additional incomeI found (as the everyone else knows, no secret) you can get higher rental rates with more active leasing methods.

We received a small note like this: -Paint and small repairs: $ 900-Other supplies: $300-Rent ; $100 We really took care of the apartment, removing all the shelves, plug all the holes and did the cleaning myself.

Make a clean offer and be rid of the complications of allowing her to stay.