In general, debt reduction isn't as bad for us as many tend to think here on BP.Instead of buying more tenants and toilets I took some cash and reduced monthly payments by about $3300 last year. 

I believe there is a $50.00 fee to file the paper work, but you can’t file it in the customer service office that would be too efficient for government and might skew your expectations.

Franchise fees, desk fees, marketing, lead gen, business cards, signs, sign riders, photocopies, toilet paper (yes, some agencies do that), etc.  

You're obviously a quick study, so after getting your financial ducks in a row, jump in and actually make an offer on a place that makes sense on paper. 

RE isn't something that is just numbers on paper, it involves people.

The tenants basically stopped paying and communicating after moving in and we had to file papers to evict at the end of June.

Shortly after I got off active duty I found myself begging for jobs because I was overqualified for most of them or I had to go back to school because I didn't have the paper backing my education. 

Paper your file with evidence of your efforts.  

In fact, if you forget your cards just have a pen & some paper handy & take down their names.

Be explicit in the lease; clogged toilets, broken windows, holes in the walls, etc.