It would be good for you to talk to them or other banks to understand whether is more important to have reserves (the $30K) or the lower debt to income ratio in your specific situation.Steve makes a great point that I can't emphasize enough. 

As a retired CPA, I have seen more than my share of bankrupted RE investors who were over leveraged with many properties.All the more reason to emphasize developing good due diligence practices, having some skin in the game and staying on top of legal requirements, maintenance, finance and tenant screening criteria.

Even though I have a good lease based off the Texas laws, some of the points that you guys have made will be incorporated into all of my leases and emphasized to the tenant during our in brief.

Do what is average in that particular neighberhood.I also went to college, not that is mandatory, I got a business degree that emphasized real estate.  

When you personalize it and make it known you are local, you de-emphasize the hard-sell.

While there were no major challenges, the deal emphasized the value of thorough market analysis and timing to maximize profits without the need for renovations.

Prior similar case outcomes are great predictors of your possible success.You will need to show material (emphasize, bold and underline that word) impact to your health.  

Hi @Christine Swaidan,The harder you emphasize you are getting bids from multiple contractors and hardcore shopping to get the lowest price and quality, the less time any reasonably intelligent person should expect any reasonably intelligent contractor to put into any particular bid.A family member of mine is a high service, high quality GC, always available via cell.

I did go to college (not that it is mandatory) and I got a business degree that emphasized real estate.  

We're redoing his site, and Im not sure how much to emphasize google searches.