Aligning payment on milestones rather than dates is commonplace in large construction projects but may require some massaging for smaller projects and with residential contractors.

Yes. attached below is a text massage received from real east agent .I was buy this property as a primary residents so we agreed to Cash for keys agreement with the tenants in which seller and agent wanted me to pay $13,000 up front to the tenants with no guarantee that tenants will move with in 60 days of closing . 

Something in your P&L can surely be massaged.

Renters insurance 8. car lease 9. cellphone bill 10. haircut + mani +pedi+facial+massage 11. car insurance 12. home HS Internet+ phone 12. business cards 13.

My wife owns her own massage business so W-2's would be out but she can provided tax returns.

Analysis paralysis - don't doubt the numbers, have a strategy if the numbers fit the box pull the trigger - they either do or do not fit your strategy - don't over analyze, if you need to massage something its not your deal it doesn't work - 

Dog valet, dog walkers, massage therapists * purchase good condition fully stabilized assets, might still have room for improvement though* Stabilized assets are usually at or near retail so more worthwhile to hold vs sell immediately * Hold for 5 to 10 years.

I get a massage once a week and a chiropractor adjustment once a month. 

Last thing you want to do is massage debt and LTV to make a cap rate purchase work on a property.I like fixed 10 year debt.

Most of the times, these numbers have been massaged by the seller to make them look good or is other cases are incomplete.