There have been numerous people on BP talking about how they paid application fees but they could never get their loans closed on any deal brought to the company.

I have around $500 left over after all bills are paid and I try not to go under that number.

This saves on the energy bill since rooms that aren't being used can have a lower temperature.

Make sure that you will not get stuck with the electric bill. 

You should know the approximate monthly utilities cost for a duplex or 3-plex if not separately metered, how your purchase may or may not have an effect on the property tax bill the following year, etc.

However, I will have a somewhat substantial tax bill upon liquidation, which I would like to avoid.One option to avoid the tax bill is to “pledge” the brokerage account to the lien holder, which will keep the money invested in the brokerage account in lieu of a cash downpayment.

For example: do yall price rooms on the affordable side and have tenants pay their share of utilities by splitting the bill? 

There are numerous lease violations.     

., lease, utility bill as proof of residence. 

Since paid in cash, I just would deposit what I needed to pay bills, and the rest used to finish my house renovation that I started years ago, before I started getting into real estate investing.