I have to usually explain that just because the owner made xyz does not the next person will or even care.

At another property with just the sidewalk I let the tenants take care of it, but the liability of these steep stairs makes it too important for it to be haphazard or me having to scold them to shovel and salt the walk and steps.I know in snowy areas people with houses contract plowing for the winter at a flat rate.

There are a couple of things that come to mind, if a payment is missed the lender cares, if the servicer goes out of business or misses a substitution of trustee, the lender cares, if the borrower goes to the lender to try to get removed from the loan (usually to buy another house) the lender cares, if the property gets caught up in a bankruptcy or divorce, the court cares and that means the lender gets involved.

Some gurus tell practicioners of sub-to to hide transaction from the lender by saying the lender doesn't care as long as the payments are being made.

Makes me think they could be too busy taking care of a new baby to attend to guest issues? 

Start by building a solid team, analyzing deals carefully, and making your first purchase to test and refine your strategy.Good luck!

They can get a better deal for there better care etc etc..

Not having a payment gives you patience to select good tenants and opportunity during the tough times when others are freaking out from vacancy and racing to offer better incentives to put a body in their place.

But I also have to have a care.

this means that these owners are under much less pressure to sell, and so they don't really care that their price won't let the property be a good rental.