Perhaps 6% in agent fees, 1-2% in closing costs, title insurance, inspections, and the like, and perhaps 1-3% in 'time costs' - the due diligence I've mentioned.

Most likely it isn't worth the increased tax preparation costs--in time OR money.

Unless you have extensive knowledge and connections with rehabbing, financing, market analysis, and just general real estate investing, I think you are setting yourself up for failure trying to break in to the downtown renovation game right now.For a beginning investor, I would rather you start out with something safe that has a strong possibility of bringing you a quick return rather than play the dice and hope it hits in time, and that advice has nothing to do with being my competition.

It's not exactly the most pleasant, honest thing to do, but the way I justify it is that these people are TRYING to screw me so I'll fight back with whatever leverage I can.

My advice is to plan on it being tough at first, but be patient with it, pay your dues and in time it will be rewarding in numerous ways.

Need some tree trimming, install counter top, misc woodwork. Looking for recommendations.

I guess I just need to find out the right direction to take those steps at this point in time.

My intentions aren't to bring any hostilities because I want to work towards getting these concerns addressed and hopefully in time fulfilled.

I wanted to settle on a target neighborhood that I knew intimately before I committed to rehabbing a project from start to finish.

And you are locked in with the extra annual payment even in times when your cash flow is suffering, such as during a prolonged vacancy or eviction.If you want to get faster pay down, just make an annual contribution to additional principal equal to one month's payment.