Tanner,I am not sure where you are located but first rule of buying in real estate is for a positive NOI where the rents are equal to or greater than the PITI payment.

For example, if you expect to get an 8% return, you would take 72/8 which equals 9, meaning it will take 9 years for your investment to double.

All other things being equal, is there any benefit to purchasing the third unit in one of the buildings where I already have something?

After she died my sister gets an old trust from my step dad's saying she my sister gets his half of the apartments and that means we split the other half of my mom's equally.

Your 4 financed properties net $250/door - equaling $1,000/month.You might say... geez... for $83/month, why would I want all the extra headache?

Your text deserves an equally thought-through answer, so I will be working on it tonight, when the activities of the day are behind me.

There's a common belief that properties can "fail" inspections or appraisals or they certain loan products can't be used on distressed properties.

My dad retained a life estate share of the property with both sons having equally divided remaindership.  

Sellers over price the property in their mind and belief, so it requires some negotiations once they are located.There are plenty of properties that have not been on the MLS to buy, but the techniques we use to buy them means we have equity at purchase and we don't need to use banks to do so.It does require capital, and an understanding of what makes for a safe investment.

That is divided 10 ways since you are all equally invested, so 9,100 each.