Lets say we put in 200 hours of time (probably spent more) and my time is worth just a lousy 10 bucks an hour, that is a $2,000 extra loss right there.

I think next time you will not close with an attorney to save a few bucks.

My credit union is going to order an appraisal... what other upgrades will make the house appraise more (basically I’m looking for bang for the buck)?

I think you would save a nice buck on energy bills and perhaps be able to raise the rent a little, especially if the tenants are currently providing their own window air conditioners.

Looking for expert advise for this duplex in 53207 in Milwaukee WI.

By my calculations I'll make that cash back in a couple of years , and if as I suspect things go south in the interim I intend to take out a HELOC , it will cost me 50 -75 bucks a year plus closing costs, in return I will have the same $200K  that I spent at my fingertips .

@Kevin Tyrone wayman srEven if it’s a refi if you can make that much money by doing the work I wouldn’t care - overall cost of business and say it’s $65k with closing and my mortgage goes up several hundred bucks your stoll grossing over $2k on the investmentLook at it that way.

On one hand you want to be humane, but on the other hand bad tenants can make your life miserable chasing them for a few hundred bucks.

It sounds like you care deeply about your SO’s feelings, and I agree – a couple extra bucks isn’t worth losing someone over.

That's where the big bucks are these days, as long as you don't have a conscience.