Anything I don't have to spend out of my pocket is just icing on the cake to a good deal.5.)

I figure 1 month a year, and if less, icing on the cake.

I have just been elsewhere in the country for the last few meetings so ice been unable to attend them lately.Good luck and welcome to you as well Mduduzi!

Plan for the highest commission but if you get lucky and get it sold fast and for the lower commission it's icing on the cake.  

But rather make sure that each buy is worth it by itself and if you can then assemble a number of those 'free-standing-deals' and make it an assemblage - then that's icing on the cake. 

Break the ice socially, your objective is to communicate your abilities, knowledge, expertise, even if it is limited, you may well know more about RE than they do.Present the deal, just as you laid it out above is fine, be conservative and tell them you are being conservative.You need to figure out the structure you want, do you want it as a loan and secure them with a deed of trust or mortgage or do you want a partner arrangement?

This is either her being scammed by someone or her scamming someone, stay away.If you have such little faith in her, tell her what you are going to do, if you receive the check you will count it as her last month's rent and you are not going to give her the cash.Or I guess you could give her the option, if you get the check, you keep it as last month's rent or you return it, let her decide... what ever you do, put it in writing, no telling how thin the ice is over here.

Hi Mike,Thanks for breaking the ice!

Roofs need extra layering material (to protect from all the ice and snow), many plumbing systems use cast-iron drains (which are tougher to tie into than PVC), many houses actually have wells for water (ours used to, and now we have to abandon it properly), electrical codes are different (this should actually help us), etc.

If the deal is good enough.....My experience with every Auction.com auction is that every property in my area is occupied, which is complete and utter horse hockey.