Using independent parties for all professional services decreases your likelihood of being cheated.Full disclosure- I do sell properties out of state to out of state investors.

If finished basements add value in your specific market(1), then it will add value in the appraisal report.(1) Think of an outdoor swimming pool in Arizona v Alaska, with that in mind you can't just say "oh a swimming pool adds $X in value" without knowing if we're in Alaska or Arizona... it would be a PITA and decrease value in Alaska!

I am new to BP and investing in general but believe we have a great opportunity to pursue that I am looking for advice on.We have an elderly neighbor that has been moved into an assisted living home due to health decreasing.

@Stephanie Jamgochian maybe they are just stopping you from asking for a rent increaseI mean, they asked for a decrease and you come back with an increase?!?!??

It provides potential investors feedback about whether there has been an increase/decrease in rents, expenses, vacancies, ect. over time@Chase McArthur Great convo and thanks for pointing out how in Washington D.C. between 2016-2017 the price/unit stayed the same but the cap rate decreased because there was an increase in overall NOI.

The decrease in cash flow feom leverage has zero to do with the underlying risk of the asset or market, but rather that risk eminates from the leverage, and as the leverage increases, so does the risk.

@Ed Gonzalez It's less risky to put 20-25% down and it will also decrease your monthly payment which will increase your cashflow. 

@Kevin Riven because in Phase 1 you can get decent deals and lending is plentiful, in Phase 2 the properties you own or will purchase are about to increase steadily in value, in Phase 3 the properties you own or are about to purchase might decrease steadily in value, and in Phase 4 the properties you wish you could purchase will be very difficult to acquire since lending is almost non-existent.

It's a goal that never ends, unlike having a set $ # goal.It treats increasing assets & decreasing debts more equally & it's not overly aggressive which could encourage over leveraging & return chasing.I know hitting this goal at a minimum, when dealing with large numbers, over 20-30-40 years will get me well past a defined/limited FI number needed for "standard" retirement. 

I want to calculate IRR while also factoring in the decreased return that will kick in about a year or so because of capital gains.