After you open up the walls you find knob and tube wiring, rotted floors, busted plumbing, mold, structural issues.

Net result is that now when I have a deal, it's usually sold before the ink on the contract is dry.

They will drain you dry when your tenant stiffs you on payment and you are left paying the mortgage you promised you would pay from your seller.

In many markets around the country the cycles have shifted and no money down type arrangements have dried up.

So, it will likely solve your first problem (keeping the basement dry), but it won't solve your second problem (keeping the wall from bowing/cracking.In order to keep the wall from bowing/cracking, your two options are to install exterior drain tile and/or to brace the wall with steel columns or plates.

Here in the DR, I have spoken to most that utilize the same setup, right now im trying to target areas that are newly renovated and have gyms and elevators.

If its a dry location or not the rainy season, then putting it off would be ok.

Ha I feel I'm in Real Estate Investing 103 instead of 101.One thing to keep in mind is that you don't want to dry up a mentor's time by asking every question you have when starting out.There is PleNTy of information out there to get comfortable with REI so I suggest you learn what you can before seeking out a mentor.Here are the best sources I've found:1) BiggerPockets (Congrats your past step #1!)

They were not at all happy with that.Long story short, the guy made a threatening remark to the PM today and so the management company just advised me that they are unable to effectively manage this situation and are pretty much hanging us out to dry with a very difficult tenant.

My husband and I have the same issue in a rental we own, but do not want to spend the 10k we were quoted to make the basement "dry" since it will never be a finished basement (6 foot ceilings).