How do you usually go about it, because the one that went well in my opinion was a brand new podcast but the established one was just run not the greatest and could have probably been avoided. 

That’s how you keep your margins and avoid surprises.

I wanted to avoid shady characters and losses while trying to build a rental portfolio that was rehabbed to a good standard and didn't have much maintenance issues.4.

Hey BP Community,I’ve been giving this a lot of thought and I’m committed to getting my first deal done in the next 3 to 6 months.I considered joining a paid group or mentorship to speed up the process, but for now I want to stay lean, avoid membership fees, and prove to myself that I can build the foundation through research and relationships.The Northeast feels extremely competitive and may not produce the cash flow I’m targeting, so I’m widening my search geographically.To stay disciplined, I’m setting weekly goals so I can keep moving the ball forward a few yards at a time.Goal by March 8th:Identify 5 markets I’d seriously consider investing in.They don’t have to be near me, but proximity would be a bonus.So far, my early research has pointed me toward:Pittsburgh / Harrisburg, PAIndianapolis, INMemphis, TNRaleigh, NCA few other Midwest and Southeast marketsI’m still in the early stages and plan to dedicate solid time this week to narrowing this down based on:Median home priceAverage rentRent-to-price ratioLandlord friendlinessPopulation and job growthFor those of you who’ve done this before:What framework or method do you use to evaluate and narrow down markets?

But I also thought to save up for 20% on a downpayment to avoid paying premiums.

Also, depends on the property class, but I recommend avoiding icemakers completely - they have a tendency to fail and repairs are crazy expensive.

I would be happy to talk how to start and prep and which things are needed up front and during to avoid lost time and money.

You get real‑time notifications, you can monitor guest activity, and you avoid the monthly subscription fees.I think an alarm system can still make sense in higher‑crime areas or if you keep valuables inside the home.

Feel free to reach out check out my profile be happy to explain details on how to use loopholes and avoid negative cash flows.

Generally, even cameras facing the street can be tricky because tenants do have some privacy rights, and property management companies are cautious to avoid legal issues, which is why they often won’t approve cameras without notice.