I cannot emphasize strongly enough, have your team in place beforehand!

But since so many pros here, and in RE books, emphasize cash flow, I'm still feeling like an outlier, and wondering if I'm not seeing some obvious pitfalls.

. :-)@Dan Hooper Not all my holds emphasize the same criteria, but the portfolio tends to strike a nice balance of these goals.  

If you have a real 3M claim against you and I emphasize real and not lawyer BS, then an attempt will be made to pierce your LLC to get to your other assets if you have any.

Not to mention any increase in equity.I went to college too, not that it s mandatory, and I got a business degree that emphasized real estate.  

The APR is being de-emphasized, and we now have a new term, the "TIP" (Total Interest Payment).  

sounding too good to be true Oh, around 14% or soI think what you mean is that they can be gottenquickly and don't rely on your credit is what is "good"about them.I must emphasize the high rate.

When I did cash for keys last year, we really emphasized to them how an eviction really hurts them and getting a rental, and offered not to file as long as they cleaned it out and signed a lease termination.   

@Aubrey P.I want to emphasize the critical part in @Ashish Acharya and @Lance Lvovsky answers and make sure you understand how important it is: the step-up basis.Say the parents spent $500k buying these properties at some point in the past, and today these properties are worth $1.5 mil. 

To further emphasize the point I am trying to make- is it a good investment to buy a house worth $120k for $150k with zero money down and hope for appreciation?