John , I would be willing to wave the option fee if they would do the repairs and once the title issue is clear I would be more than happy to owner finace them the property with a DOT.

In chatting with some of the other investors and one of the trustee's it seems there will be a big wave of properties showing up in February and March.

I must sit-down with the manager and see what is the uptake ... it must be worth waving our banking fees ;)@Shaun Reilly:We had a tenant last year who would deposit a quarter of her rent each week when she was paid (using the deposit only card).

When I hear sea breeze, I immediately think of laying on the beach, listening to waves, soaking in the sun and completely RELAXING.

I would say that even if you are waving any other contingencies you still make sure to say it is contingent on there being a clean marketable title (Not just insurable).

I also have begun attending local REI club meetings.My area is small in population but in terms of percentages it rides the waves just like Phoenix and Vegas so i'm not sure yet whether it's a good or bad area to be investing in.

sounds like you've had bad luck and/or inheriting past bad landlords' problem tenants.this business seems to go in waves...hang in there...you will get back on your feet and things will be quite boring.I have been pretty lucky at to not been stiffed at all...but I don't press my luck...I throw everything into reserves until I hit 6 months PITA then I throw half in there and the other half into my personal savings/emergency account.

Fortunately, I took the plunge in the late 90s and bought a few properties and rode the real estate wave.

Gurus are always entertaining while waving a carrot in front of our faces.

You also need to enforce your HOA rules, and if the renter is violating them, it's up the owner to make him comply, or face the fines and consequences.Before we go to the expense of hiring an attorney we need to figure out it the board; who mostly "sit on their hands" will support and a president who mostly refused to enforce the rules and "not make waves".