To start off, I think the tenant should have let me know sooner before it got this bad, am I wrong?

I'm sure there's a formula that experienced investors use when prepping a unit for renters, like specific cabinets, countertop, etc. 

Hi Mark, do you have any specific questions for the forum to answer? 

Specifically, the paint in the tub is flaking off and going down the drain.  

Building homes is fulfilling and lucrative but I often feel like my days are spent just chasing down contractors and materials, and pointing out everything that is wrong with work that has been completed.Over the last ~6 months I thought long and hard about all my options.

The expectations are wrong and the work that goes into the portfolio is wrong.Just like working out, it may take months or years of steady and consistent work to see lasting results. 

The cost includes your stay, all food, drinks.I know many women go with a specific goal in mind, but there is so much power in just BEING AROUND people who you can relate to, who are doing what you want to be doing, and who usually happen to have creative solutions to problems you've been stuck on & had no one to brainstorm on with!

I currently have little to no money, but got the idea to help manage the property and offer specifics, from Brandon Turners "Buy and Hold Real Estate Investing" book.

It's not just will the manager handle section 8, it's the specific area. 

I would suggest getting with a tax professional to assist you since there's a lot of variability depending on your specific situation not only on a federal level, but with state reporting as well.