I have a feeling I have determined why the company that owned my house before I bought it just painted the basement concrete instead of actually finishing it with drywall...I'm getting first hand experience about why there's so many complaints about Baltimore City.

If I was running another option on this deal, I'd adjust the interest rate to 5.5-6%, put 20% down, include $5-6,000 in initial repair (even if that's just cleaning and painting), reduce the monthly expenses to 8%, include PMI at $100/mo and then see where that lands you.

Also if it is just paint and a little cosmetic stuff unless you got a smoking deal you may not have enough equity to refinance out into a favorable long term conventional loan.  

My advice is fix it up as much as you can with as little money as you can (clean, repair, do yard work, make lipstick improvements, paint but don't paint yourself into another corner haha) and get out of this deal as soon as possible.

This should help you paint a clearer picture of what you are looking at when investing in Cleveland.

Granted, they were not covered with wallboard, but old plaster walls are fragile, sometimes paint is the only thing holding them together. 

It may be worth it though, I actually used to rent an apartment right around the corner from this place, it was in a four unit building that’s as almost always at full occupancy, as far as I remember the entire 2 years I lived there only one apartment was ever vacant and it was rented in about a months time.I found a 3bd 2ba MH on my local Craigslist that seems to need minimal work, the previous owners did major updating, asphalt roof was replaced about  7 years ago, new furnace, new floors and paint.

This is a program where 1st time home-buyers who make at or under a certain % of the area median income (say 80% or less for example) qualify to apply for the grant, certain banks receive grant funds so you would need to ask your bank if they participate in this programRehab costs: $40,000 (lot of sweat-equity)Appraised: $385,000NEW PITI $1785/month: Refinanced into a loan of $260,000 ($325,000 with 20% down, 30 year fixed rate portfolio loan @ 4.375%) and pulled out $61,000 ($260,000 minus $191,00 owed on old loan minus $8000 closing costs) I could have taken out a higher loan (due to the appraised value) and received more cash-out $, but I wanted to be conscious of what my new PITI would be and make sure I could cash-flow going down the road.DetailsBefore Renovation- 864 sq ft - 3 bed 1 bath ranch style home, , attached 2 car garage, 1/3 acre yard- Purchased foreclosed for $220,000 with a 30 year fixed rate loan @ 3.875% - PITI $1385/monthI worked with my local bank to build in renovation funds into the actual loan, where I would pay to have work done to improve the property (new roof, heating system, flooring, etc) and the bank would inspect the work then release funds to me to reimburse for the cost of each repair as they were madeAfter Renovation- 1278 sq ft (finished basement added 415 sq ft)- 3 bed 2 full baths- Appraised Value $385,000The first 6 months in the property was spent doing new roof, heating system, refinishing existing hardwoods (hidden under grey shag rug), new SS appliances, new paint inside and out, finished basement (added another living room, office/bedroom, and full bathroom)For the refinanceI was quoted by my local bank for a 30 year loan a 4.875% interest rate. 

So apparently there is a group that is working on a robot that can paint your room! 

The cheaper guy is a general handyman and has included lots of other work in his quote; re-siliconing the shower, repairing a couple of doors, repairing some doors, reputtying windows plus all the painting.