If anybody can suggest (or delete) other points I'd be grateful.This is really for 1-4 unit residential properties.Pre-Buy Checklist1) Demographics, ages, percentage of renters to home owners, incomes, type of jobs, type of renters2) Job centers, taxes, services, fiscal solvency, construction, renovation, land use laws, civic pride, gentrification3) Sales and rents trends, cap rates 4) Transportation, freeways, congestion, public5) Vacancy rates6) Property taxes, utilities increases, growth corridors, nearby office construction, replacement costs compare to new construction, 7) Growth in jobs, economic base, and population8) Weather patterns, natural disasters9) Building: architectural styles, materials, purpose built or conversions10) Established rental management companiesPurchase Checklist1) Inspections: property inspector, structural engineer, pest control expert2) seller disclosure statement, 3) statement of income and expenses, sellers IRS Schedule E4) Lot size and value5) Verify code compliance6) deferred maintenance7) space, view, natural light, noise8) Personal property & fixtures9) All co-owners present10) Site boundaries 11) Improvements 12) Clear title13) Deposit conditions14) Condition of property15) Escrow credit for repairs, 16) pre-closing casualty losses 17) Settlement costs18) Dates of closing and possession19) Tenants leases and rental info and their property20) Contingency clauses, environ, hazards21) Insurance22) Read all leases, check for rents levels, concessions (one month free rent etc), who pays utilities, yard care, snow removal, furniture and appliances, duration of leases, security deposits. 23) Ask tenants to confirm their terms of lease.

However, we do realize that there needs to be a minimal set of criteria to begin with, so we are addressing: Trash cans being out of sight during the week (and we need to address having them put away by say 9:00 p.m. as suggested), landscaping, what types of projects require Architectural Committee approvals (permitted projects only or assembled items versus constructed items), screen doors, fines (penalties for non-compliance) etc...This forum is giving me some great advise, keep it up folks, and as always, thanks in advance.

I suggest keeping an eye on the tv shows, keep the pieces small and streamlined for the rooms and remember my fav. architectural saying - less is more

I’m kind of checking to see if “I’m nuts†to believe design practices usually reserved for commercial applications can be used to influence spending in the housing market so I’m interested in networking with investors but also contractors, architectural/design firms, and tradespeople.

i landscpaed my property,i made the mistake of no submitting permission.I also included in this project the removal of a tree(roots coming thru the garage floor),i went to the city after the fact and they sent me a letter that i could remove the tree but had to replace it with the same type(shade tree).I replaced it with a palm instead(not permited)I figured that the rest of the neighbors on that street replaced their shade trees with a palm so why shouldLater i sent the architectural form and the pics of the finished product.I also showed them that most of the homes on my street had replaced them with palms including the HOA board president.The Property manager said that wasnt theirproblem ,that they couldnt send all those people violation notices for not requesting architectural change proposal,that if i wanted i could go to the city and complain there.So why did they ask me to go to the city for permission to remove the tree?

Background in architecture and construction and have an overall passion for the built environment.

The actual garage door is still intact.The county told me I would have to get an architectural engineer to come out and do a drawing for a plan in order to remove the new door.

I suspect most of us here are alike in that aspect.I'm starting college this year and majoring in architecture.

I did not realize that Cincinnati was generally regarded as one of the first great American boomtowns, and the Over the Rhine area was once the pride of the city, and boasts some of the most astounding Itallianette architecture that is rivaled by nowhere else in the U.S.You may recognize the area as the location of the 2001 race riots in Cincinnati that turned pretty ugly.

And without providing the GC detailed architectural drawings and details about the finishings, most GCs would realize that the investor isn't serious.If you don't already have designs, I would suggest talking to some local home-builders in the area, who can likely give you an idea of per-square-foot prices on different types of construction and design.