Be smart and safe when you pick up cash too.Bank Deposit:  There are tenants who will make a direct deposit into the landlords bank account. 

Living in a safe, stable environment is not only good for your family unit but it also removes YOU from paying rent.  

Anyways, what is the protocol for safely discarding these cans paint?

The state is trying to get every rental property in MA lead safe, and they figured this was the best way to do it.

Yes, to be safe I would run the numbers like a typical property you do not plan to live in.

Notwithstanding some safe harbors and exclusion exceptions if you have a large property, you’ll likely have to capitalize your $20k renovation expenditure and depreciate it over the useful life.In short, a $20k renovation will reduce your reported earnings by $1k/yr (depending on depreciation life), but it will not offset your $5k/yr net income.

Awesome weapon... but if used poorly, you'll get burned.

Bear in mind- From my experience, they may need to get a demolition permit first to safely tear down the current home/structure, then provide a full set of documents for the new home construction.

It's a safe environment and the game deals with more than Real Estate.

As a white kid from the suburbs, I realize that I will be in very unfamiliar turf as I begin my career as a landlord.So, other than buying a gun that I carry at all times, never going to the properties at night, and screening tenants beforehand to make sure they don't have serious criminal records, what else can I do to ensure that I stay safe while managing these types of properties in bad neighborhoods?