I was just reviewing my January today and it was struggle, REI-wise.

This is a very sound building.What Im struggling with his how much it would take to get it the way I want it.

As for the FICO score, I prefer tenants that are struggling financially (at least a little bit).

My feeling is that this is a young business that is struggling with having taken on the beast which is RE.

I could combine with a struggling property to refi.

I have been wanting to get this going for years, been reading/studying on & off all this time and am now getting things going.After lurking on this forum for some time, I realize that my reading has focused on motivational books with little substance and I am now struggling to come to grips with the cold calculations of the REI experienced here on BP.

I'd figured I rather be homeless on the beach out here and struggling for success than gettin' by back there.

I struggled through Mech Eng with a minor in EE.Then ended up in drive control automation & traveled the world on contract jobs.But that minor in EE saved me a lot of $$$ when renovating homes esp splitting the services for myself & others.If you're serious about RE investment an engineering background will save you a fortune & give you valuable insight into structural re-design (assuming you take some design courses) when you blow out the walls etc of an older home or add a room above an attached garage etc.It's a great discipline & you will never regret finishing.

Tells me competition is getting tough especially for those with less marketable degrees.Chances are, 10 years from now 70% who are here won't be, 20% may own properties but can't live off of them, 5% will struggle and 3% will be doing fine, 2% will be financially successful without worries.

I believe that I need to pay back the tax credit since the house clearly is not my primary residence, but I am struggling to figure out the best way in which to do this.I don't know all of the rules for this, but would it be possible to amend my 2010 return to pay back the credit then (basically as soon as I got it?).