Next, plan on inspecting your properties every 90 days; you can communicate this to the tenant as you ensuring the property is in good order and to help you plan for repairs/future improvements. 

If you ever need help, I’m happy to assist!

There are never full photos of the mechanicals and basement and roof line so you will never have even a bare inkling of what the potential repairs will be.

This is my first time reading of your experience with this property were you able to complete the 80K in repairs ?  

I will not comment as to the tax laws and underlying rules - that is a discussion you can have with your tax advisor who presumably you are paying to help you.What I will do is provide practical and business guidance on tracking time.Firstly, there are apps available that can assist with time tracking where you can specifically detail your time, who you met with, etc.

If you don’t have a large down payment saved up, don’t worry—there are plenty of options available . . .”A trusted lender will go over the various loan types with you, any down payment requirements on those, and down payment assistance programs you may qualify for.

Squatters can now be locked out of a property and their possessions removed, but a landlord CANNOT physically remove the squatters themselves.The local police are supposed to enforce these laws and assist landlords in removing squatters.The reality is that when you call the Detroit Police to remove squatters:1) The police often don’t know/care about squatter laws and state you must take the squatters to court to evict them.

@Tyler Speelman Your strategy to assist your sibling with a down payment while minimizing tax liability is creative but comes with complexities.

PMC staff are good at maintenance and maybe repairs, but they are NOT licensed contractors with years of real-world experience.

Mine was also out of state, in a town I’d never visited, and I relied heavily on videos from my agent.This sounds like a tough first deal, but it seems like you have some capital on the side, which will be useful as you face the upcoming challenges and learn from those expensive early mistakes.Regarding the subject of this post, “help me adjust my expectations,” I’d recommend assuming that; repairs will cost twice as much as you estimate, maintenance and vacancy rates will likely double from your initial projections, there’s a very real chance you may lose money on this deal.That said, there are ways to mitigate these risks by:- Keep asking questions here on BP and connecting with local experts- Stay proactive and communicative with your agent and property manager.And remember “Inspect what you expect.”Im not trying to discourage you but to help reset your expectations.