Hi everyone, I'm looking for some advice from experienced people. I am currently looking to invest in my first buy to let home. I've done plenty of googling however I'm hoping experts here can help with common mistakes and provide any guidance.

• What costs do I need to factor in (immediate & longer term)
  • my plan is to deposit 50% and mortgage the last 50. I have read a few places suggest an interest only mortgage, is this a smart idea? I was planning repayment interest.
  • My partner fears about the horror stories, house getting trashed, non payers etc.. This will probably be my only buy to let for around 5-10 years, is this too risky?
  • I want to have an estate agent fully manage the property, I understand the fees are a lot higher, but I feel like the quality and their ability to get better tenants is far more superior, is this a misconception?

Thank you for taking the time to assist me on the start of this journey!