Payment plans can be effective in limited situations but only when paired with strong screening, consistent enforcement and a clear distinction between tenants who can be stabilized and those who will not perform.At acquisition, I would focus on 1) An immediate audit of the rent roll and delinquency aging 2) Clear pay-or-quit notices with defined timelines 3) Short-term payment plans only for tenants who demonstrate both ability and intent to cure 4) Tightened collections, improved leasing standards and a visible onsite management presenceResolving bad debt is typically a 90–180 day operational reset.

What was replaced, who installed it, what warranty applies, and whether that warranty is actually usable when something fails again.Early on, warranties were effectively useless because:Paperwork lived in emails or invoices that no one could findVendors changed, disappeared, or denied responsibilityPMs or VAs didn’t know what had been installed three years agoNow, everything is standardized:Approved materials list by asset classPreferred vendors tied to specific scopesWarranty info logged at install, not at failurePhotos, serial numbers, and install dates stored centrallyThe key insight is this: warranties only matter if your system can surface them at the moment of failure.

Agents can’t control buyer activity, seasonality of the market, interest rate fluctuations and their effect on the market, or price trends that way.   

In some cases, these wholesalers effectively act as informal acquisition partners.Whether a separate, dedicated acquisition partner makes sense really comes down to cost-efficiency.

How does this effect their qualifying for a mortgage? 

At this stage, the most effective move is to engage a zoning expediter or architect who routinely shepherds Center City projects through L&I, the Planning Commission, and ZBA.

What calculators, spreadsheets, or free tools have helped you analyze deals effectively?

Rent Reporting Service to credit bureaus for the debt is effective and simple, pro is low cost, set and forget and high success rates, con is while you can report all unpaid rent you can't report damages unless they are quantified by an order from a landlord tenant board or small claims court.

No flips to date.What I’m ConsideringI’m trying to determine the most effective path to:Increase near-term cash flowMaintain long-term portfolio growthBuild flexibility and deal velocityStrategies I’m actively evaluating:BRRRR dealsSelective flips to generate chunks of capitalContinuing to acquire value-add small/mid-size multifamilyPotentially starting a small property management operation to manage my own units (and possibly others) for additional incomeLicensing QuestionsWould getting a real estate license be worthwhile for deal sourcing, underwriting, commissions, and access?

Cold calling, in particular, can be effective if done consistently and correctly.