Spreadsheets/Templates:If you don’t want to start from scratch, sites like BiggerPockets and others have pre-built templates you can use to run your numbers and track your expenses.

There are many who preach this program but the reality is if you run the actual numbers I would argue that is NOT the case.

What the city housing clerk is telling me is that there was a water leak from behind the sink pedestal on the second floor bathroom that has been running for a week. 

A lot of my investors believe that Austin like other Texas cities will do well in the long run.

There is no other way to get correct comps unless you know an agent who knows how to really run comps.

Take a good look at potential purchase opportunities and run the numbers, then decide about buying, then financing.

Unit 2 - long-term rental (this will usually be with an existing tenant since you already have that running well or in a larger unit that might net the highest rent as a long-term)3.

@Kieran Collings - I'm an investor, flipper, and own and run a local property management company.  

Any GC that does not work like this is a huge Red Flag and you should run away.2) Also any experienced GC should have theur own state-legal contract that spells out terms clearly and protects both of you.

If you want to be completely self-sufficient, you're willing to build an Earthbag home or another building that can be earthquake proofed but can still be run without public utilities, you can spend a ton of money on a well and can have that well water processed to remove contaminated mine crap, you have a great off-road vehicle and you can figure out how to deal with the flooding without redirecting that water onto someone else's land then you can definitely live there.If it's an Investment you're after, give that up.