I’m open to either a townhouse or a single-family home, but I’m definitely trying to steer clear of any crazy HOAs that eat into cash flow (you know what I’m talking about!).

The Exchange Accommodation Titleholder ("EAT"), often a sister company to the qualified intermediary, will form a single-member limited liability company and disregarded entity or ("SMLLC") to serve as the lessee.

Do we go with the electricians recommendation and eat that cost to get the upstairs unit properly heated?

It depends on how each rental is cash-flowing, but that could eat into your cash flow.

This way, we receive continuous updates from attorneys who eat, sleep, and breathe lending at minimal cost and we know we are always up to date.

By poisoning the rats, you're letting them roam free into the world where people's pets can eat them, not wise. 

It seems like that would eat into the returns and you can't get positive cash flow for a while5.

Sure, mortgage insurance eats into your cash flow a little bit if you're putting less than 20% down but in the scheme of things it's really not that much.Also, you won't have 20% equity in your property in a year assuming you put 10% down unless you are forcing appreciation or you somehow get some high market appreciation.

The reality is you have to pay for services like this and be prepared to eat the cost if the deal doesn't pan out.

Lots of areas that pencil very well on paper but the quality of renter you will get is going to eat into any profit you may think you are getting.