This is hands on experience that you will leverage in any future RE investments.In San Diego with low money down, the property (purchased at retail) is going to be cash flow negative at purchase. 

A friend of mine who has a handful of properties told me to schedule every 3 months to change the furnace filter.

but for future reference, I spelled out early termination terms to my tenants before hand. 

Seems like in most cases they own the bordering property, know the family and think they can get a simple agreement to split. 

“My views on homeownership have changed.”In the past decade, this home on Osiana Avenue has changed hands five times, twice in foreclosure.The first owner bought the house for $400,000 in 2005, taking out more than $1.3 million in loans to acquire the property and three others.

. $20 for business cards from Vistaprint then I taught them a simple script to use with their friends and workmates along the lines of: "I'm looking for houses to buy, if you know anybody wanting to sell please give them this card or get their number and let me contact them.

Lenders don’t just hand out insecured LOC’s willy nilly.....and your overall financial strength (liquid assets) have more to do with it.

I usually hand them a riddle and say hey I’m paying all cash for this property plus an extra 5 grand.

HAVE CASH IN HAND .  

Was it just a simple Google search?