Or do you use a combination of something like a ring camera and schlage lock?

The best time to decide on which lender to work with is after you're under contract and have the opportunity to lock in your interest rate.

My aim is to not only profit financially but to gain in the process some intangible assets, such as project management skills, getting to know reliable professionals (i.e. realtors, contractors, designers, etc.) for the long-term, getting acquainted with the local market's promises and pitfalls, and basically adding some entrepreneurial muscle going into my next project.My strategy is to go small: find a second-hand apartment in a good location (I don't have enough funds for a GREAT location...); no more than 60-70 m2 (that's about 650-750 f2) to, among other things, lower renovation costs; 1-2 bedrooms, street facing and with a lift (if said apartment is above the second floor); with good bones, i.e., needs only partial renovation.

You need a handful of good-quality loans from a few reliable brokers.

Like @Stuart Udis said, most of the time its more cost and time effective to do cash for keys and throw a few grand to hopefully vacate so you can change the locks.

It's crucial to find a trustworthy agent and then enlist a reliable company to manage the property, especially if you're not local.

I also recognize that AirBnB's can be used and abused, which makes sturdy and reliable furniture selection even more important.  

I have never seen an agent, not send photos along with videos of the property, hmmm, Send me the address along with the lock box.

Originally posted by Account Closed: So yes I do agree CA handymen should never quote a client anything more than $500/materials+labor per particular job unless they don't care about building a career towards being a licensed contractor honestly and dont care if they end up being criminally charged for it.Account Closed: )  Handymen are probably "not overly concerned" about being locked up for operating as unlicensed contractors.As of November, 2014, possession of meth, cocaine and or heroin is a misdemeanor in California.

Yes, a 5 month rate lock is going to cost more then say a 30 day rate lock.