Late rent follow-ups** - The dance of reminder texts, calls, and documenting everything for potential legal action.

I'd have a chat with your tenant and explain about the seal on the dishwasher and remind them if something doesn't look right, call you and don't use it. 

Just thank him and ask/remind him to give you a heads up next time.

US Tax Court just decided the Mirch v Commissioner case (T.C. Memo. 2025-128). You can google it if you want details. The IRS easily won, as they should have. 
See, among other blunders, for their STR hours, this cou...

They combine: a registered agent service (for filings/reminders), a master tracker (spreadsheet/database for deadlines and entity details), a standardized document repository (folders + naming conventions), and consistent accounting mapping. 

It’s the in-between work that lives in the cracks between systems and people.The biggest time drains I see consistently:Maintenance coordination and follow-upNot the repair itself, but:Chasing vendors for updatesConfirming completionVerifying qualityMaking sure invoices match the scopeThis becomes a loop of emails, texts, and reminders unless you have a very tight workflow.Tenant communication triageA lot of time gets burned sorting:What’s an emergency vs. what’s notDuplicate or unclear requestsRequests that should have been self-serviceWithout clear expectations and templates, every message becomes a custom response.Turnovers and make-readiesScheduling cleaners, painters, maintenance, inspections, utilities, and photos in the right order still requires a lot of manual coordination.

Ask how investors are protected if something goes wrong, not just how returns are generated.One thing I always remind investors is that strong deals can withstand scrutiny.

With a couple units I could keep it all in my head, but once I hit 5+ it became a nightmare trying to remember which HVAC got serviced when, or which plumber was the good one for that specific property.Honestly what's helped me most is just being more proactive about it - setting calendar reminders way ahead of time so I'm not scrambling last minute.

This reminds me of a Vince Lombardi quote " Football is blocking and tackling.

@Chris Seveney Great advice—thank you.The contractor point really resonates, and the reminders about limiting upfront payments, longer timelines, and multiple exits are especially helpful with hard money.