. 🏠👍 100% agreed.I've witnessed way to many investors over the years getting caught with their pants down when using too much leverage.The real estate "guru" world is incentivized by selling more properties (Realtors earn commissions on every property sold) and "no money or low money" strategies (Easy way to flog books and seminars), etc...So leverage to the tilt they would say...The best deals are bought quickly and with cash.All good things take time and so does building a strong and sustainable real estate portfolio.Start slow and small and build the foundation of your portfolio with cash.This will minimize losses when vacancies occur and one hopefully won't have to put their hand too deep in their own pocket to cover expenses as they occur (Especially large expenses like mortgage costs).Once a solid foundation has been built and experience gained over a period of time of what the true income vs expenses will be, then look at using leverage.Also, all deals should be analyzed from a "devils advocate" standpoint and don't get too excited about it's initial prospects.If you think it won't happen to, I'm here to tell you that it will.This is coming from someone that has done hundreds of deals and has seen it all.Always protect the bottom line first and foremost.Much success

I will deep clean the property and lightly stage it before the appraiser comes.

I just feel like going deep into rabbit holes like this aren't worth my time and effort tbh.

When I dreamed of affluence circa 1991, it included the obligatory hot car (that I can buy a few times over now), lots of cheap women throwing themselves at me (my body would end up weighed down so deep in the Mon they'd never find it, I married a dangerous woman), and a lot of expensive stuff (me, a student of minimalism today).It also occurred to me that if my wife and I had kids, there was no way we could have asked them in 2017 to move into a leaking shack on the edge of a heroin ghetto, where a dude got shot just walking home in the alley out back in 2018, where the school system was ranked about as low as you can get for southwestern Pennsylvania (which is really saying something).

I tried the 350 doors of section 8 deep south stuff that is way too much for me and sold out years ago.. talk about a job holy cow.. :)

If they don't show up when they're supposed to and they don't begin generating leads (or trying to) in the first week, RED FLAG!

One very determined neighbor with deep pockets (a NYC restaurant owner) took us to court and drove that club to the point where we lost the house.

Do deep checks on possible deals, including looking at the property, having it inspected, checking the title, getting legal advice, and weighing risks.

A bright red grape juice stain on white or beige carpet is damage beyond normal wear and tear.As far as the garbage and the dumpster, if there is trash removal included in your rent, it probably doesn't include furniture or excessive amounts of large pieces of garbage. 

With a little prompting, they typically open up about their deep down feelings about the tenant.