(Foundation, etc)4) Black mold, asbestos, lead paint, other other costly repairs. 5) It need significant cosmetic repairs where the purchase price just isn't worth it. 6) They may have an odd layout of the rooms. 7) Non-compliant septic.8) Trouble with permits or tenants9) Listing agent has a poor or incorrect listing.

@Alexandra Helms Just seem odd to me that US side isn't much of tourist area in winter than the other side.

I feel like I'm drunk as every one is not level or taken at an odd angle.

The other looks like it could lose about 40% of my original investment.In Vegas, the odds are always in the house's favor.  

Mordechai ChaimovitzTwo-unit owner-occupied falls into an odd category, really any 2-4 unit with a nice owner's unit for that matter.

You said: "This seems like an odd strategy - purposefully invest in an asset that loses value, with the hope that it will regain value to save a little on taxes... 

Just call up an agent and ask them if they are the best in their market , odds are the first call you make will be the one .

Seems odd I cannot get a response this time, I even called there number and it goes to a woman's voicemail?

Just seems odd why they wouldn't flip them all...

This is the question I was going to ask....you are bucking the odds by staying in SoCal.