Houses have gotten bigger. 2.   

I get a lot of requests for people who want to hold a wedding at our houses.

I ended up closing on a duplex house this week with the intent to rehab the whole place.

(Previous rent was $1,300 but we're about to put in a brand new kitchen from the studs, new flooring throughout the house, new furance, adding A/C, etc).So do we just pay for it all upfront and mostly drain all of our savings, or do I let the rent pay for it and utilize our other savings to get a second property this spring/summer to increase our cashflow? 

I get what your saying I was employed in the late 80s by a big syndicator in SF who had over 250 different apartments  senior housing student housing shopping  MHP and i headed up land development for them..

The first house that I bought was 17 years old, 3 br, 1.5 bath, brick ranch house with hardwood floors, Andersen windows, ceramic tile baths, gas heat and a brand new roof. 

Purchase price: $160,000 Cash invested: $40,000 Sale price: $268,000 I bought my first house in Kalispell Montana as a long term investment and possibly a rental.

(They did multiple inspections, also came for several full afternoons to just poke around the house while we were living there.) 

I wonder who still makes houses like this.

That could make for some great opportunity on the appreciation front if you believe they will bounce back.Columbus is talked about adnauseam on the forums.