Look for deals closer to home that you can manage yourself, or at least drive to, to see what's going on there.Anything else, unless you hire someone you completely trust, is nuts. 

@Chad Clanton @Sarah T.Here is the link to to search the SABOR MLS as a non-agent.  

This is not for the property owner to decide, this is for local law enforcement to to decide.       

Here in my area of Vermont, I can buy duplexes with much better rent to to price ratios, closer to the 50% or  2% rule, but there is also a high likelihood that my tenants will decide that heroin is a good life choice.

c) Get cosigner, credit check them, call student rental references, call student employment references, verify employment, drug test them, take a blood sample, make them pinkie swear not to screw me over, etc.Basically would just like to hear what other college town landlords to to minimize the risk of a bum tenant during the application period.

While my intentions are to do the  aforementioned,  i also hope to accommodate as many longer term renters that are aspiring to to make my house(s) their "home.

Every product company like Moen, Delta, Kohler, Toto, American Standard, and Youtube etc. has tons of instructional videos of how to repair your plumbing.

If you've waited longer than a year (such as your property), you are way under market.My 4plex collected ~$2600 when I purchased and my goal was to raise to to ~$4000 within 3 years with minimal vacancies.

We had to replace the carpet, flea bombs (so the old carpet can be removed) then exterminator followed by head to toe scrub before new carpet is laid.  

I looked up the PA laws to see if you have a duty to mitigate damages, and in PA you do not.So, you don't have any duty to try to re-rent the unit and can hold the tenant liable for the entire lease.I'd let them break the lease - but - I'd use the leverage that I didn't have to, to get them to move out without a fuss and leave the place clean and undamaged.It doesn't sound like you have any proof he's losing his job, and it sounds like he hasn't lost his job yet.