You will have to remove snow and salt after every snow - a little over-precaution goes a long way in preventing lawsuits.I actually think your repairs/maintenance are probably fine for the long-run, but you might want to up to 15-20% the first year to get that owner's reserve to 10k. 10k does not solve all problems - but it takes a solid bite out of most.

Replaced ceiling in one BR due to leaks and prevent mold.So, you see the pattern of repairs coming every 10-15 years.

This is definitely the biggest hurdle that is preventing me from buying right now.

Any advice on how I can prevent the build up of rain from damageing my house

This would prevent them from getting their mitts on other investment profits you make on other ventures.

Lots of tasks to keep track of, and easy to forget - if you are renovating, think of all you can do to make the house guest friendly, like having the pipes on an INSIDE wall not an outside wall to prevent frozen pipes which can be a nightmare.

When I emailed management and the board, the president explained that there are already a bunch of vans in the neighborhood so they're not going to take on the risk of preventing someone from having one.

I'm considering purchasing a 5-plex in Blue Springs, MO (a very nice neighborhood near KC Metro) because the neighborhood and deal look great, but I still have quite a bit of concerns that are preventing me from making the leap.

You must have a full time staff assigned to late collections.I am obviously small time but for me it is far more cost effective to prevent late payments, through strict training practices, than to have to process them.

And it helps prevent those unwanted 2am lock out calls.