I mean… Would we even get THAT much more in the end with a realtor, given that (as I understand it), most investors pay all closing costs and we wouldn’t have to pay a realtor fee?

So now my next purchase is going to be solely with the goal of cash flow in mind to help offset what I'm currently paying out of pocket.

I refinanced to pay off a big chunk of debt/repairs. 

It would have been nice to pay lower for the property but from what I can see from the appraisal, the appraiser took into account properties with similar rent values which brought the appraised value back up the second time around. 

Never choose the cheapest bid.. or you’ll pay..

It may sound nice to pay a 6% management fee but the extra fees can add up to be more than the other company that charges 10% with no additional fees.

That may have been from a transaction you had along the way by writing a check or putting your account number for automatic bill paying.

You may have to pay some costs for building out of your pocket. 

I initially rented the home $150 less than similar homes at the time because the tenant was a "known" person and they could not pay more (at the time the tenant had a lower paying job than today), plus it was convenient for me to have someone mover right away.

In NYC transactions, property taxes are pro-rated and sellers + buyers pay for the portion they're responsible for (depending on the calendar schedule of the county + closing date).