That way if a change order comes up, you both are on the same page as to how valid it is and how much should have been included in the original quote.I would agree to a per ft2 number only if they agree in the contract to finish it at that price - no surprises, no change orders, they eat anything missed.

Don't be afraid to go big - if you have the desire, time and focus you will surprise yourself.

I'm sure there's also asbestos and many other "surprises" to be uncovered. 

I'm not saying that either option is wrong, but I will say that a surprising number of investors on BiggerPockets forgo option B when it makes way more sense to go with option B in their neck of the woods.There is always a tradeoff - do you want cash flow now, or the possibility of far better returns down the line?

You'll be surprised how quickly you can build you portfolio.  

When multiple pendulums start swinging the other way, I think a lot of people are going to be surprised and wonder where they went wrong. 

You are going to be surprised at the accumulation of these figures and that surprise could be catastrophic to find out when you can't make a mortgage payment because you have a vacancy, have to replace the HVAC or you have an expensive tenant turn due to damage.  

I've definitely made some money both on the cash flow and appreciation (appreciation was a surprise in most cases).But that being said, the exit strategy is difficult and I can see why people lose money on these ventures.Four pitfalls I see:#1 Lack of control:  Depending on property managers who in most cases do not have your interest in mind.  

I now also automate an email that gets sent to my cleaners at 7AM daily with the following day's checkouts so there are no surprises.

You'll also be surprised how much you'll learn just by posting a question on the forums.