Having extra cash allows you to sleep soundly at night. 

Caretakers earn more by doing better work—not by cutting corners or adding volume.

Hmm, we're not on the same page yet.A PMC does NOT need their own insurance.A PMC, even a small "mom & pop" needs liability protection, via insurance, as protection against possible lawsuits from tenants, prospects viewing the property, contractors, etc.You as an owner, can add a PMC to your existing policy (if the insurer allows) as Additionally Insured at no extra cost to anyone.ORYou can cancel your insurance policy(s) and be added to the PMCs Master Policy.- Yes, there will be a charge for this insurance.

If you consistently make these extra payments, you can pay thirty-year loans down much, much quicker than thirty years.

At a market interest rate of 6%(average rate today), along with property taxes, homeowners insurance, and private mortgage insurance(added when putting less than 20% down) your total monthly payment would be around $5800/mo.  

These are smaller homes with open floor plans, all spaces maximally utilized, no basements, and limited space to store extra things.

@Ravi Pamarthi  while people are reccommending adding pets I would say that you should set a limit and decide what you are comfortable with when it comes to pets.

Over the years, I have seen how much risks investors take on - especially with off-plan projects- when they rely solely on due diligence without adding any real legal protection.

Are you planning to keep some extra buffer for those gaps between draws?

Here’s a full, distilled synthesis that pulls together all 13 responses + the final long one, with extra focus on what people repeatedly agreed on and what showed up most often.Executive Summary (One-Page Takeaway)There is overwhelming consensus that:Normal wear and tear is expected, unavoidable, and not chargeableSecurity deposits should only be used for clear, provable damageBorderline deductions are almost never worth the conflictThe standard is not “what technically could be charged,” but “what you’d confidently defend to a judge”Most experienced landlords and PMs favor a conservative, documentation-heavy, expectation-setting approach that prioritizes fairness, consistency, and dispute avoidance over maximizing deposit recovery.The Strongest Areas of Agreement (Mentioned Repeatedly)1.