Repairs are killing me!

[Elijah White]

Hello all, 

I have two rental properties in Wichita, KS; both are single family homes that should cash flow around $250 per month but the repairs and fixes that I have had to do over the past six months (and especially the last month) have just been destroying my cash flow. A few months ago I had to have a tree cut down at one property, which cost $1050, then this month I have had a frozen pipe at one house, a clogged main sewer line at the other, a broken refrigerator and an electrical issue. In total, I am looking at ~$750 in repairs this month alone!! Is this just part of the growing pains and part of the learning process to become a real estate investor or am I doing something wrong? Should I never buy houses that are built before 1970 again? Both of these houses were built in the 1950's and I wonder if maybe that is part of the issue.

Thanks in advance for any advice!