If the other owners like you are paying $25k, grin and bear it.Your second problem is a weak property manager.

I'm still stuck on how the pyramids were built...Ever get a chance... look up a guys name - ed leedskalnin for grins...He seems to believed there was another way...

It's not exactly how I would have explained it (grin), but his example gets the point across quite well.Escrow protects all the parties involved.One additional aspect is the escrow company (in real estate deals) is quite often also a title insurance company (or affiliated with a title insurance company) and they will be conducting title examinations on the property and ultimately issuing title insurance when the deal is completed.

Over the past three months, I've listened to BP podcasts every morning to/from work and...I'm grinning as I read your post because it's clear to me that you've got "the real estate itch".  

There is also CA 1947.3 that is specific to California that doesn't allow you to require online payments:http://articles.latimes.com/2013/jun/21/business/la-fi-rentwatch-20130623 :GRIN: AHH - - perhaps not so senile after all. 

Again divide your nest egg by the down payment and you now have 10x properties and 10X NOIIt's obvious that Case-2 has a better ROI for the same nest egg and the loans are being supported by (of all things) your tenants, not you :grin:

What I'd suggest is you grin and bare it for now while sourcing and vetting a new PM, get your own contractors or use a service such as handyman matters as  @Brie Schmidt suggested in one of her great podcasts, then move the properties over to the new company when your ready.  

However, I offer mine with the lease w/o extra fee - - it becomes my marketing advantage over similar units :grin:

:grin: Me too.

Yes, I am sure as we seem to always be at odds :grin: