It typically does not cover loss of rents, which surprises some rental property owners after a flood claim. 

In general there are more upkeep and surprises that a early 1900s building can have compared to a 1980s building for example.

Curious how others are documenting hours and grouping activities to avoid surprises.

Rehab surprises?

I built an “HR Director Pro” prompt for my company to handle structured hiring, performance management frameworks, role scorecards, and internal accountability systems.It’s been surprisingly effective.

Chronic late payers often aren’t surprised by being late — they’re used to flexible enforcement.It may not be bad luck.

That changes the 20% down vs. 5% down decision entirely.On your question about reserves vs. down payment: with $55-65K saved, putting 5% down and keeping $40K+ in reserves is the right call, especially in Savannah where older properties can surprise you with deferred maintenance.

Strong point — deferred plumbing and electrical shortcuts are some of the most expensive “surprises” new owners inherit.One of the bigger ones I’ve seen is patched supply lines tied into aging galvanized pipe.

Even if the houses look great, keeping an eye on major systems like the roof, HVAC, and plumbing will help you avoid surprises later.

Turnover surprises.