I'm new to investing and wanted to see if condo's or town houses would be the best place to get my feet wet.

That happens like everyone said when it is wet, in crawl spaces, etc. or in special situations like lots of earth work or doors just being left open Our leases states pest control is the tenants responsibility as well.

FRP panels for walls in wet rooms, VCT for wet room floors, 1x4 screwed horizontally to studs & towel bar mounted to that, *no* soap dishes in showers, high gloss white paint for trim, *no* carpet, 

If you have to sign and notarize see if you can do it from afar and they might only accept mailed in original wet copies.

@Kory Clark, get started with the 3- or 4-unit to get your feet wet.  

It is on BP somewhere and might wet the appetite.

Some folks do still get that warm and fuzzy feeling from "wet signatures" but its pretty darn cool to docusign something from your phone (as long as you can still review the document properly).

I totally understand the seller not wanting to cough up the entire assignment fee until it closes, but at the same time, it'd be nice to get SOMETHING upfront.

But only to support some of the advise in this thread to start with a few properties which may not need much if any maintenance to wet your beak, that do not require that you bring a set of skills that you may not yet have.There are so many people here who have been in the same shoes you are in and had a lot of success, listen to them on the podcast and read their blog post, I think you will be satisfied.  

You want tile or vinyl in the wet areas, such as kitchen and bathrooms to prevent buckling from the increase in moisture.