Along with this, driving the area gives you an idea how safe the neighborhood is and how well others in the area maintain their property.

Failure to establish or maintain the utility account in good standing is grounds for termination."

Additionally they need to be oiled and or waxed periodically to maintain them. 

I own properties from the early 1900s, 1940s, 1960s, and early 2000s--and frankly, the older properties are often my favorites, and are often my best performers.One of the biggest misconceptions by inexperienced RE investors is that new houses are inherently "better" and less costly/less headache to maintain than older houses.

While the units do vary in  rental rate from very low to very high, each individually is very well maintained and very well prepped by the various owners.

Or you can do a couple days of research and get this answer yourself, even from a distance.If you bought it for the right price, you could meet your financial goals AND maintain the sentimental connection.

@Robert Lindsley  Well maybe some of the INDY folks can chime in however I can assure you that 40k all in   In indy is maybe not a war zone but its an area that will be a super challenge to own and maintain..

Quote from @Frank Jennings: Start the eviction process. https://www.nolo.com/legal-enc...I would reach out to the Tenant, in writing, with a list of the violations (failure to pay rent, failure to pay deposit, failure to establish and maintain electric).

As a rental owner, you will need to maintain cash on hand to cover maintenance costs and the times when the home is vacant.

I am taking the plunge and leaving my W-2 job (buying land for a homebuilder to develop into neighborhoods) to do some traveling and to commit to real estate investment full-time. I have a decent start - 8 rental unit...