Layer on better quality tenants and there are a lot of missed opportunities focusing on metrics that present favorably on a spreadsheet in the lower tier markets. 

New carpet and assorted repairs. we are hoping to spend more time in Asia the next two years and i am not impressed w PM here due to high costs and low quality considerations.

Your buddy hired a pretender, so they got a bad quote.A quality PM has a deep bench of honest, proven contractors.

Here is what you get when you hire a GC, someone who wants to call subs and add 2 - 3k on top and then never show up at the house, never manage the quality of work from the Subs, do not manage their time. 

Avoid investing in a poor property or poor location, simply for the depreciation benefit. - If you are investing passively in a syndication with bonus depreciation, make sure to vet the sponsor and understand the investment vehicle before you invest.

And what matters even more is the quality of the work and the service.

I will lever it lightly with assumable debt, or not at all, and keep this conservatism going until cap rates are ~100bps above interest rates on property of reasonable quality and nearby where I live and operate my business.If that happens next year, I’ll cash out refi to a moderate debt level and buy!

As services are reduced, this leads to increased crime rates and lower-quality schools, which in turn causes more people to leave.What are the requirements for a city to attract new employers?

For example, adding a bathroom can increase your home's value by 10-20%, depending on the quality and type of bathroom.

After that at some point he had me read Rich Dad, Poor Dad and I knew he was right that it was the way to build wealth, but I didn't think it was something attainable for me.