They will try every conceivable excuse to avoid paying on a claim.

And even if I'm investing on my own, if I go the umbrella insurance route, is there a conceivable way to scale such that eventually I'd be able to put the properties into LLCs at a time when they are still mortgaged?

Any kind of significant work should be relatively expensive, more than a rent reduction would cover - so this guy either doesn't think much of his time or plans on doing the fastest, shoddiest work ever conceived.2.

This is what you get when for decades you pursue a policy of endless "California lifestyle" of single family homes and single-occupant automobiles connected by roads wider than any reasonable person, except for a traffic engineer, would ever conceive of.Our politicians are business owners and landlords too, of course they want to perpetuate the status quo.

What an ill-conceived idea. 

The key is making the property desirable enough and priced for the best types of tenants.I'm crunching lots of numbers and getting my head around a lot at the moment as I learn more, but the core of the model hasn't really changed since I conceived of it.Obviously finding cash is the big looming missing piece right now (although I'm sure there are lots of missing pieces).Thanks, I look forward to meeting all of you locals!

So, if you qualify under the guidelines for all of these, you could conceivably get a no-down payment USDA loan, and have LHC cover your closing costs fully... so you know... basically a free starter house.

If you have a 5 bedroom house even in a $500k house I do not think it is even conceivable that you would rent all the rooms - I'd only bank on one or two roommates - and since Wichita is what I'd call a little big town - most people aren't going to want to live with someone they really don't know.I think you're most realistic situation is buy a very nice duplex (there are a few from time to time that are high end) that will come for sale - live in one half and rent out the other where they should make  a vast majority of your mortgage payment and live for nearly free.Secondly - buy an affordable house (if your intent is to move in a short time span so below $250k or so) and then only bank on having one or two roommates and only charging them $750 or less depending on how nice the place is - unless you have a large base of friends that are willing to live with you.Just my .02 -- and best of luck!!!   

As someone who was always taught treat others like you want to be treated, it is deeply saddening when I see people on here saying "screw them they broke the contract" as if any of this was even conceivable this time last year.

It is conceivable that the demand and supply could flip such that when Cities are open for business and begin issuing permits, there will be an over abundance of contractors and skilled labor, but no appetite or demand to spend money for renovation projects because of the projected high unemployment and stock portfolios that are worth a fraction of what they once were.