If the home is 100 yrs old, I'm assuming it's a definite gut which is going to require new plumbing, electrical, heating, cosmetics.I spent about $140K reno on my multi family in the heights on NY ave and there were massive problems with it but it was a gut to 3 units & adding 2 bathrooms, 3 brand new kitchens 4 bathroom reno in total, all new flooring, sheetrock , insulation, framing, doors, electrical, plumbing, paint, parts of roof etc.

We both know the numbers you used (mostly that 1000% return number) aren't practical, but humoring them paints an interesting picture about the financial advantage of leverage.

Keep it simple, paint and carpet, buy a good house in a quality area.

You can only use a handyman for jobs under $500 as I recall....which will exclude tile, drywall, insulation, paint and well pretty much everything.... 

Denver has a lot of older properties with value-add potential—small upgrades like fresh paint, updated kitchens, or even just better landscaping can make a big difference in forcing appreciation.

We fixed everything in the first 3-5 weeks, plus paint, carpet, landscaping, then rented it out.

What's the life expectancy of the roof, paint, furnaces, water heaters, etc.?

They have a motivation to paint a rosy picture to make a sale at the best price possible for them. 2.

Better hope paint,carpet,advertising, commissions, and utilities don’t cost $600 or you blew your cash flow, it’s zero.

These minor tweaks won’t cost you much, and I’ve seen them help properties in Phoenix and Chicago stand out, even when the paint is a tad faded.So what’s your take - do you think guests these days actually prefer a hint of authenticity over a picture-perfect exterior?