For example, repairing a window would be something like weatherstripping, replacing a pane of glass, or replacing the lock - but once you replace the whole thing, it is usually an improvement.

I won’t say an over-zealous auditor wouldn’t ever draw extreme examples to penalize your plan, but at some point the parallels become absurd and strain credulity (e.g. you’re also increasing US GDP, and personally gain from that at some level as well).

I have two babies 9 and 12, and you are looking at some serious belt tightening that will strain a marriage is you both are not on the same page.Secondly, since we are neighbors, you are gifted with the bazillion real estate investment groups available to us here in Los Angeles.Type real estate in meetup.comThirdly, you ask a lot of questions both here and in the REIA and see if you can find yourself a seasoned investor that will take you under his/her wing.Also, a warm welcome to BP, you will find some genuinely warm and thoughtful people here.Then, when you feel you have an inkling of what you are doing. . .jump in!

It can be bumpy in the early days and many a relationship has been strained in the process and some broken.

It has good insulation and brand new dual pane/argon filled windows but with this past winter the NG bill was higher than $100/mo for ~1200sqft.

Windows are in good condition, but they are the old wooden frame single-pane and need totally cleaned and painted (if not replaced).

I have painted itI went to remove it once and the wall was rough so left the paneling on and I covered it with heavy duty commercial wallpaperit was the $300+ a roll type I picked up for $10 bucks a roll(I bought it all)I also did a dining room that was panel I just covered top half of panel with the wall paper and left bottom like it was and added trim

Especially if the HVAC is central, with single pane windows the owner is paying to 'heat the whole neighborhood!'

Most of the low lying fruit like double pane windows, cfl lighting and upgraded insulation has already been picked because of statewide energy codes in place (but always being upgraded) since the 1980sIf your market doesn't have energy codes as strict as Seattle's there's probably some nice low hanging fruit waiting to show up in your NOI.

It turned out I replaced all the windows to double pane, replaced the noisy bathroom fans so the tenants would actually use it, and that worked beautifully.