@Mat Lewczenko excellent ideas!

That's probably conservative, but the idea is that you don't want to get strapped to a mortgage so big that you can't enjoy life and save for retirement.

Also, there are some clauses that put monetary obligations on Landlord - costs to upgrade to meet new ADA, responsible for haz mat, etc. and some clients worry about clauses that require Landlord to use insurance money to rebuild the property after a casualty (banks like the ability to use that money to pay off loan, so it may make it a little harder to get funding).

Of course, if the agency in your jurisdiction is as resource strapped as the one here ... it might be months before anyone looks into it.

That was my biggest question was, if the seller is so strapped for cash, why would they choose to become homeless when I walk away with everything, and them with nothing?

If it's a case of a short sale then the seller may be so strapped for cash that they've spent the deposits.

Remove the straps to the electrical line leading to the ac, move the pad and ac, re-strap electrical

I have a clause in the contract stating should tenant for any reason not make payment said buyer is still responsible for full payment.With the tenant paying down the Mtg for him he is VERY comfortable and not strapped.

Then you have haz mat removal costs, pre testing and post testing costs, which will all run hundreds of dollars more.

I've found that once a tenant becomes strapped for cash and/or can't make the rent payment, they magically become a jack/jill-of-all-trades, when in reality they don't have the knowledge/experience to get the job done properly.