Expenses for rental properties

[Jonathan Bluth]

I am brand new to real estate and have some questions.

 - How do I find specific utility costs for my area so I can properly analyze deals?

 - What utilities are needed? Are these paid by me through the tenants monthly rent or is this a separate bill that the tenants need to deal with themselves?

 - How do I get the tenant set up with these bills?

While you're here, maybe you can help me out with a few other questions (: Any and all help is very appreciated!

 - How do I go about offering a lower price to the seller than what is being asked?

 - How much should I plan to set aside for extra monthly income besides rent?

 - Do hard money lenders work by lending you the money needed for a down payment or lending you the money for the entire property?

- What type of credit do I need to get a mortgage loan? 

THANK YOU!