The best way to deal with these things is to create policies you go by and will only bend under extreme circumstances (this is true for almost everything business, as The E-Myth discusses very well).

While this is true, I think most people forget there are two components to refinance.

Having a good sanitation system, and a city that cares about having a clean environment would be a great start.Unfortunately, after contacting the city and local groups that claim to want to make the city a beautiful place do not want to help put up a public trashcan.My last resource is contacting SEPTA and asking them.

At the beginning, if you have nothing to work with - which is just about true if you *can't* pay all cash for a property (and I'm not saying you *should* pay all cash, just that you don't have the resources to do it), you should expect your returns to be paltry. 

As a local manager we don't come across true squatters very often. 

Is this true? 

It is a beautiful tract in the Smokies, on 2 acres, and 300 feet of Cosby Creek, a nice trout stream. 

I know no other industry where this is more true than property management. 

It's true that you can do a longer contract and most wholesalers do but also most wholesalers fudge the numbers and make the ARV much higher than what it's actually worth or the rehab cost is way too low.

The tried and true way is to purchase a off-market property, rehab for no more than 75% ARV, refinance to get your money out or payback the private hard money loan - start short-term leasing the property.