Use your agent chops to move fast: pick a simple buy box in Tuscaloosa/Northport, pull true rent ranges from two property managers, and walk three blocks you’d actually buy on to learn turns, parking, and tenant profile.

Biggest time drains: Unclear maintenance, inconsistent communication, and manual reminders.

You have to drill down to individual neighborhoods, and learn them block by block or even better house by house to know which exact locations are good to invest in and which aren't. 

I couldn't modify or delete the listing and I couldn't block the calendar.

There's no substitute for boots on ground assessment as block to block varies.If you're using a good property manager they should be able to guide that for you. 

“Avoid blocking air vents or shutting off HVAC systems for long periods.”

The poorest house on the richest block is where I started and have essentially remained. 

My advice: tighten your buy box to C/B blocks, underwrite on in‑place rents with a stress test, and line up a local portfolio lender plus a backup.

Then I would fish around inside the drain hose.

Quote from @Scott Chilton: When a deal doesn’t fit the usual lending box, I like to pause and look at what’s really blocking it.