@Barshay Graves if you take the golden nugget from all of the previous replies to your post, your takeaway should be, NEVER TAKE A NO FROM ONE BANK/LENDER AS WHAT BANKS WON'T DO.You have to do some shopping around and networking with others in your market to find the lenders who will want your business and be happy to lend to you.

Other than that it is laminate counter tops, golden oak cabinets, brass fixtures, 4 inch white tile baths, you get the idea... 2001.Based on my research of comps on rentals.com it is very obvious that there is a line somewhere of diminishing returns when updating a rental, but I haven't been able to exactly pinpoint it yet.

Each market will have their positives and negatives and there will be no single market that can be crowned the golden egg.

If you really can't avoid it, pick a different college.The community college idea is golden. 

Just make sure you can afford the HELOC payments in the case  you can't rent the property and your golden.

Nuggets of golden all over the place.

I think this is a golden thread, with a huge lesson that is right in front of us but is sometimes hard to see through the trees.

They have added up to a sizable portfolio as many of my colleagues sat on the sidelines looking for their golden goose.

See your tax advisor.If you want to avoid taking income, as I did in a few operations, look into golden parachute arrangements, but ultimately the tax man has his day from small operators (if you're not issuing stock as a C Corp).I tried the company car bit, there were advantages but I only had one vehicle held in that manner, not a fleet, and insurance was high so, I kicked that idea.Life and health insurance can be expensed, but it's still a taxable benefit.

I am always looking for that golden opportunity to get my feet wet in real estate, just not sure THIS is that opportunity.I was thinking maybe I could make like at least 10k, of course I would have to do SOMETHINGas to what that SOMETHING is, and having to be licensed to participate, that's where I'm not ready yet.I've got the study guide. looking at schools, maybe leaning more towards Champions School of Real Estate.perhaps learn all I can about Contracts and maybe I'll be better equipped for the next deal I see