These can change as fast as a new legislature wants a new highway. 

As the saying goes, when there's smoke, there is fire.I trust that you won't take these remarks as condescending since we've already been in contact with each other.

Investing in real estate has truly changed our lives. 

More likely that the document is correct, and the change to 12% was made recently. 12% seems to be middle of the road but still pretty decent, yet generally Baltimore city RE is a bit more risky than rest of MD .Lonnie Pickard

In Parts of the SF Bay Area its mandatory prior to changing owner ship to see if you have clay pipes and if you do they must be replaced with a new waste line.

You can give notice to one of the tenants, then move in and rent out rooms to further cut your living expenses.Yes, something I've considered but does require me to move from CA to TN, so big life change. 

You need to always be changing with the market, testing and poking to see what marketing works better and what does not work at all. 

Loopnet any deal older than 12 months, Tax GIS consistently late or 6 months past due, any property that changed hands thru probate after 12 months, Texas property tax sales land only not at auction just offlist properties, etc7.  

Property appreciation outlook not too exciting (could change), the other side of the river is a different story. 

A guy in the biz for 20 years who had a ton of bad habits will not change their ways, if they are lazy they'll be lazy for you.