If a property has that kind of impact I would use that as a no-go factor right off the bat. 

Credit score, income:rent ratio, job longevity, Landlord references, age, and a long list of other factors I'm forgetting. 

At this point I’m dealing with the issues as they come and will take all necessary actions that I can to finish the project the right way but the lesson for me is I guess in the future look for the permits pulled for a house over the years and try to factor in potential work that was done without permits and add that as a risk factor.

Yes, there are instances where the eviction/forfeiture process is less expensive and faster, and theoretically there can be more upside, but on the whole, those factors do not make up for the negatives.

Where you're located will absolutely factor into whether you use multi-year leases, but we manage over 7,000 properties through the southeast and have collected over 97% of billed rents through covid.  

So many people have pets that it's probably one of if not the biggest limiting factor to getting tenants. 

@Justin Megna this may sound broad, but study every factor/variable that may have an effect on your investment strategy and specific target market.

Also factor in your increased maintenance costs to get your break even. 

We have thought about going to a digital key pad but are not sure about batteries dying and the fact we would still need to catalog all the keys to these pads.There are so many factors I am hoping to gain helpful insight from some of you who may have already solved this issue.Thanks!

If so, one major factor I would consider is the quality of the on-base housing.