If you’re looking at retrofitting to separate heating for each unit (like furnaces or mini-splits), you might be looking at a higher upfront cost, but it can shift utility expenses to tenants and improve your NOI.I’d factor in boiler age and efficiency when analyzing deals and if it’s near the end of its life, negotiate a price reduction or a credit.

As noted above, up to 50% of gross rental income normally gets eaten up by expenses (taxes, management fees, utilities, landscaping, repairs, capex, etc).

My goal, over the next five years, is to utilize real estate in lieu of my current hourly consulting income, by building a portfolio of rentals.  

Most likely raising funds from passive investors would utilize a Reg D 506 b or c safe harbor exemption from registration.  

Cost segregation utilizes the MACRS approach.

Quote from @Elisabeth Lernhardt: Today I found out, that some of the utilities were not in the tenants name!

Usually MTR comes fully furnished with utilities included, so you pay for the convenience.if the area has traveling nurses, other professionals that come for a few months for work they normally pay more, in certain cases the employer pays the rent not familiar with that particular market,  but worth looking into it.

Utilizing the VA loan is a good first step in terms of investing.

It's a primarily a utility asset, and secondarily a store of value against currency. 

I’ve heard that this neighborhood doesn’t really have any problems from a social worker but outside areas aren’t good. 3/4 units are currently rented at $900 each, renters pay utilities.