Karen: I personally think there are better and more interesting color choices in Cesarstone and Corian (and I love marble and wood counters), but cheap granite has kind of taken hold in my area.

Add a row of this in there to break up the mosaic pattern.

So our little town, Marble Falls, TX has been on the national news I guess, our phone has been ringing with friends around the country calling to check on us.

If the hedge funds that are in "holding" patterns decide to liquidate their portfolio we will see a selling frenzy.

For granite I’ve used Millenium marble and granite in philly and absolute marble and granite in Cinnaminson!

IE criminal and credit checks....Credit is a credit check on the person.. to not do this I think is a mistake... people talk great game then you find out they have a pattern of not paying bills ... stiffing ex wife and child support etc.you make the call on credit what's important to you.that's basically it and of course buy title insurance with lender endorsement ALT A policy.Keep tabs on hazard insurance ( even will insure them myself and just charge them at payoff) and of course if your going over a year check on property tax's.If your doing rehab loans.. consider a hired inspector for 100 bucks an inspection and charge borrower.NO second or junior position lending ever .. just not worth the brain drain.. 

The vanities were in bad shape, so we have already bought some upgraded vanities with real marble* tops and new faucets, but not sure if we should also do a major remodel to replace the dated 1980's floor and wall tile, "Roman" whirlpool tub ("bone" colored), "bone" colored toilet, and acrylic shower stall.

Read the product data sheet on yhe drywall for screw pattern.

This is especially dangerous when you are holding property in the growth pattern as the entities really want to get at those tax revenues and the difference in valuations can be very substantial. 

But never two - that shows a pattern that I don't care to experience.