To help prevent it from happening again you can ask the water company to send you a copy of the water bills.  

I did replace brakes after driving it about 10,000 miles, mainly because I was using the truck to tow a chipper... so more preventative maintenance than anything. 

If you buy a HUD home, are there any legal stipulations that would prevent you from turning it into a rental, or anything else that would hinder an investor?

Haven't "had" to do it, but it anything that attracts a renter is a good thing.Installing the blinds helps to prevent the tenant from having to hammer in little nails and hanging sheets over the windows, which I guess is okay but looks totally ghetto.

What would you do if you were to explore this option and how would you prevent yourself from being burned?

Another suggestion, You can use those stain pens to touch it up too.

Looking into my first deal and stalling a little after walking through property side by side twinasking 70,000 for both sides; 2400 total square feet, 1200 each sideone side is almost completely gutted with new electrical work only.needs Hvac, sheet rock, full bath, kitchen, floors, half windows needed to be replaced and reframedother side is "livable" and "passed inspection" think feces, stains and smellsneeds new floor, full bath, kitchen, floors, half windows need to be replaced and reframed.has electrical, radiator heatmy question is I know this is a huge renovation but how do I get a ballpark?

He has written rules into our by laws preventing moving kitchen and bathroom plumbing.

So addressing it up front prevents that from being you.

That would prevent an exchange into REITs.However, it's possible to exchange into Umbrella Partnership Real Estate Investment Trusts upREITs.