Combine that with the rest of the picture: employment verification, rental references, criminal/background check (look for active judgements from creditors).

If things are not perfect, if you ever have an issue with a tenant your case will automatically be thrown out and judgement for the tenant.

Biggest thing to look out for in Chattanooga is flooding or water intrusion (we're in a river valley) and avg 55" of rain per year. 

When I first read your post I made a hasty judgement this wouldn't work. 

Was in vacation in South Beach Miami for a week, last week, while it was raining in LA (rare but happens.

This old house has a video on it, lots of sheet plastic, duct tape, rain suit, mask, goggles, big wetvac, fan and boxes to dispose of the waste.

Hi,In a house I recently bought, gutters were all rotten so water had not been really going away from the house, creating low laying areas (photo below) and water puddles near the foundation wall when it rains.

Then I'd consider how much rain is tolerable vs colder winters. 

It was raining and my power went off, It came back on a couple minutes later, but I was already doing something else and forgot about the house.

Assume it's just raining money from all the rentals.If I'm able to do that by 40 or 50, why would I bother contributing anything to a retirement account that I have to wait to utilize?