That is natural vegetation and looks nice as long as its not poison ivy.  

If you're going to buy out here you have to play the long game, you don't lose until you sell, that's why real estate is so great, even if the market tanks you still have a hard asset to collect money from (because rents do not go down) and you have tenants to pay your mortgage while building equity and historically San Diego has been a great appreciation market, so of course one shouldn't speculate, but let's be honest, Real Estate is inherently an appreciating asset by it's very nature. 

@Angela Henderson, they just call it "commercial" since the loan is made to a legal person (the LLC) and not a natural person (you). 

The investor/buyer naturally will want a better deal than usual.  

Sure, these are natural byproducts of doing what we all do, but I am really, truly into REI for the experiences of life. 

Never, but the banks I deal with love to use 75% vacancy for LTR (stupid, Bozeman has 100% occupancy for LTR, never in my 15 years PM'ing here have I had an empty apartment), and 50% for STR (due to the nature of my market).

i'd go with natural gas if money is not a factor.  

The good thing is that once the gutting is done and the handful of flood claims are done (most people didn't have insurance or adequate coverage) prices will be back to normal because people without insurance don't have anyone willing to pay 5/10x the labor cost for them.We were lucky in that our HVAC units worked at the rentals so we've been running those and fans.  

Have you had problems of this nature with Buildium?

Interesting article linked below, and a cautionary one for anyone who considers buying debt in natural disaster areas where the home's value is lower than the debt.