Selecting your market will be interesting as I'm sure you have insights into the military and those types of housing arrangements so perhaps a niche there to tap into based on your existing expertise....but regardless to address your question you are not too late, and investing is a spectrum, ranging from flipping to buying stocks in a REIT, and it all works, just depends on your preferences and style really.

Also, the situations of various investors include a broad spectrum.

Neither group is fully correct or fully incorrect in my opinion.It really depends on your goals, your lifestyle, and your timeline which end of the cashflow - to - appreciation spectrum you want to fall on. 

On the relatively harmless end of the spectrum it's $100 infotainment crap, on the other end it's stuff like this.

- https://www.biggerpockets.com/files/user/CosIorg/file/asset-protection-spectrum-diagramHow a fully implemented asset protection layout might look. - https://www.biggerpockets.com/files/user/CosIorg/file/asset-protection-structuresLet me know if have questions or want to chat further - I can give you my investor perspective.

I'm obviously still in the research phase - not ready to buy just yet.You hit on one of the big debates in real estate investing, and it really comes down to philosophy: the "all cash, no debt" camp versus the "leverage everything, maximize ROI" camp.On one end of the spectrum, you've got the investors who operate purely on cash.

You see that across the spectrum of means in my age group and older. 

And there is really no protection in case they missed anything which is another reason we steer clear of them.Mold remediation costs can run the spectrum - get multiple quotes.Encapsulating the crawlspace is something you can do yourself as long as it is not a really low area. 

Probably on the spectrum, and there's a place for people as such, they just need a little understanding or maybe help.

I think it just about any rental that's not on the lower end of the income spectrum, tenants expect a dishwasher and it will cost you much more not to have one in terms of rent price and vacancy.I'm surprised you've had so many problems with them, we haven't had many at all.