I say them so that you can be better prepared to deal with reality.

So I am looking to put in a patio and a space for a shed to anchor.

If I can't find previous owner (building was forclosed - so seller was the bank), and all my efforts to find and talk with him have failed - why would the judge believe me over tenant?  

@Robert Rixer, I don't know how creative these are, as many are common plays:Valet TrashFencing in first floor yardsProviding washer and dryers for added rentReserved, Covered parkingTech PackagesInternet and Cable contracts, with reimbursementsPayment Plan rents, with small service charge (i.e. bill 1/4 rent each week)Reserved Rental cabanas at poolPrivate pool party rental optionGolf Simulator in clubhouse - fee basedOn site, self serve car wash (quarter feeder style)Charged group fitness/personal training servicesGame room in clubhouse with monthly subscription for tenants (Xbox, Playstation, etc)Changing out high maintenance grass for astro turf or lower maintenance/lower water use shrubberyBut ultimately, I think a lot of NOI increases come from deep dive into understanding EVERY expense and finding ways to minimize them, and/or no outsource them.Train maintenance team on basic HVAC and appliance repairs (find way to get them licensed as needed)Buy paint sprayers for faster, easier turns versus having to hire a contract painter, and possibly repaint whole unit each timeStandardize all finishes, so you can buy in bulk, everything from hinges and door knobs to cabinets, paint colors, and light fixtures.Potentially get leasing people onto lower base salary with higher bonus potentialBulk/bundled insurance across portfolio (even better at scale is to self insure)Regularly test sprinkler systems for leaks.Non-NOI, but benefit to you: partner with insurance agency to get referral kickbacks from your tenant base for renter insurance.  

Columbus has a lot of transitional neighborhoods, so it's also important that your PM works in the neighborhoods you are investing in.

Hey, so I just got a deed on a tax lien and somebody burned the property down before I was able to get insurance on it in Phenix City, AL…what can I do about that?

So looking into single family homes in the $400K range. 

Thanks,Hey Joel,If you are tight on PITI, then I usually recommend looking into an interest only loan, maybe on a 5-10 year IO plan, to lower your payment and see if you can squeeze it in.Plus, rates are starting to dip a little bit, so it makes it a little more doable, especially if you just do a rate and term refinance to help keep your rate lower.

If there is so much money invested in DST's, can one reliably say that sufficient number of investors are profiting?

So I don't know if it makes much sense to buy a rental property for about 200k-250k, just to make a few extra thousand a year (based on a 5% return).