They are often classified as operating expenses or maintenance expenses rather than capital improvements (assets).Washer/Dryer/Stove/Refrigerator: These are assets as they are considered durable goods that will benefit the property over an extended period.New Baseboards/Trim, Doors: These are generally considered assets because they enhance the property's value and are not typically replaced frequently.Furnace/AC: These are significant components of the property and are categorized as assets due to their long-term benefit.Paint, Light Fixtures: These can be a bit nuanced.

Our team helps a lot of out of state and out of town investors find properties that meet their needs (usually parking equity after a 1031 or moving equity from other real estate investments in other markets).Cashflow obviously depends on your LTV, but I would say the days of cash-flowing on an 80% LTV deal in this area are long gone, particularly with increased insurance rates and inflated operating expenses.

Yeah, this seems like a perfect problem for a data scientist and clearly it would give a huge operational advantage if it was created.

Distance makes investing more challenging, as does seasonal occupancy and governments which operate differently and/or are less stable than our own(though our own government has not been a paragon of stability lately.)By investing in the Caribbean, you’re adding those challenges plus you’re throwing in the occasional hurricane.  

It depends on how the waterfall rules are written in the operating agreement. 

Anyone operating in an ethical manner should not be opposed to licensing, and should really support it.So what exactly is the argument against licensing?

Stuart I have been with my commercial banker now since 1993.. started with a little 100k  LOC to buy timber and within 8 years I was the largest borrower at that bank at about 15 mil.. ( small community bank)  but we fought through the GFC together I had to start over and my banker kept one last  1mil LOC open for me so I could operate and since those dark says of 2010 he has gone on to fund 5 subdivisions for me  300 plus homes and 100 plus million in loans and this is based on relationship 100%..

There are some honest and decent providers / operators.  

What's your take on no more 6% commission and how this will change the way you operate?

Of course when the risk free rate is sub zero, those with capital are urged to deploy it (allow known as quantitative easing).Of course there are many other factors like operator experience, specific market, specific deal etc, but generally this is one of the largest factors.