For that reason, I personally don't buy properties that fall under an HOA.Food for thought!

My perspective comes from a lot of personal experience, including a couple of properties I chose to hang on to for many years, because it would've been more expensive to dump them in the interim.

I appreciate the detailed suggestions and personal experiences you shared.

I personally like white trim, but if everything is in good condition and stained-just keep it.

(This should be cheaper because no personal items are insured.) and then insist the tenant’s get renter’s insurance.

After 1 investment property it's easy to be over your personal DTI ratio and to keep going you'll likely need a small local bank that looks at the debt service coverage and the risk.  

If you can't keep control of your personal finances, you are highly unlikely to succeed in real estate investing.

From what you've showed, I'd say your main focus should be working on your personal finance foundation rather than diving into an investment.

I recommend networking with other investors and asking for personal recommendations, using companies (not individuals) with strong reviews on Google, etc.

Personally, I like "light" value-add and "core plus" investments that are larger buildings.