there is currently a 3/2 listed for 2.9 mil. the average price for the same in Nanaimo is in the 250-300 range. the closest price point on the main land is a two hour drive in heavy traffic. the ferry will be an hour and it goes straight downtown.I have 50,000 that was borrowed from people who believe in me and I not really willing to risk a large chunk of that to buy a currently overpriced property that the owner refuses to move on, but that isn't to say he wasn't motivated. it had sat vacant for four months, and the same before the last tenant was there. this guy did want it gone,so I offered a lease with option to purchase. i offered the 180,00 that he owed with 10,000 down on a two year term, with a one year extension for 5000. both would be taken off the purchase price, bringing the price down to 165,000 in three years.

On the edges of that neighborhood (closest to Tosa) finding something worth while that you will not have to dump sizeable amounts of money into at the 100K range is just not realistic.I have several concurrent flip/rehab projects in motion in that area as we speak and all will go for more than double that 100K benchmark you mentioned.Good luck with your search reach out if you need anything.Thanks,MH

You buy them typically from Farmers, Nationwide, AAA, Foremost and many other insurers (yes Foremost is in this category too unlike some posts say in this forum that they cover STR).The closest to ideal are AAA and Foremost.

Somethings we do are offer grocery gift cards for our tenants when they move in, supply a community garden space where tenants can plant their own vegetables, and ask great tenants if they have any friends or relatives that would be interested in living in the building (traits are often shared among the five people you are closest with).Closing thoughts: it is always cheaper to have a vacant unit than one that is filled with a bad tenant who is looking for the cheapest rent.

 I, too, am fearful of investing in the congested areas closest commuting distance to New York City.

Scott Carson's Note Blueprint is probably the closest thing to a step by step for dummies.

You can also cut bread, steak, lettuce and cook with them at the end of the day.

The closest to me is 2 hours away and although I know that it would be beneficial, I must say that with limited income and the cost of gas these days it behooves me to cautiously travel so far, only to not meet anyone there who can help me.

We can drop our rents to half and not miss a steak dinner (we cheat and raise our own beef) but seriously, if you buy hood homes and make them nice as can be, usually requires you to do your own work to accomplish this. for the price. some are the nicest on the bock, I think I can maintain occupancy during the next credit crisis. 

Dunedin is not an "area of St Pete", it's one of the 24 incorporated municipalities in Pinellas County and doesn't even share border with St Petersburg (at their closest point, the two cities are about 12 miles apart, separated by the cities of Clearwater and Largo.