I too had a good experience with tenants. When I got out of the military I rented out my very first starter home and after a few years they asked to buy it, so I sold it. But I didnt handle it myself, I hired a real estate company (I think it was Century 21), and at that time their services cost 10% of whatever the rent was. But for that price they always had a tenant in it and if anything needed fixing they would send over the appropriate trade. It was easy peasy and I simply set the rent amount to cover my mortgage and the 10% handling fee.