You technically do not have to replace the mortgage. 

The bathroom and kitchen were replaced.

The surveyors and engineers have been helpful. 

Hi BiggerPockets community,We are a married couple based in the California Bay Area, both working as software engineers with a combined income of close to a Million USD.

.- The bathroom flooring was covered in mold and needed to be replaced.- The kitchen sink was unsecured and fell into the kitchen cabinet.- My insurance was cancelled until I fixed roof issues.- Debris littered the recently occupied unit, the basement, and all over the back yard.As mentioned, we had an initial video walk through before the contract to purchase.

And if they are a hobbyist/part-time builder, then they should engage the proper professionals, i.e. a title officer, civil engineer, architect, contractor et al to assist in reviewing the project's feasibility.

Look at the age compared to there useful life and cost to replace.

This will allow the team to develop and review project processes and management strategies to move forward with more challenging, yet rewarding, properties.I come from a very process-oriented background (Mechanical Engineering), and my goal is to learn and develop each step of the process, from start to finish, to continuously improve the team and ROI of each project. 

He doesn't have to worry about a rough needing replaced or a tenant causing $20k in damages after one year living in property.  

If you’re not paying cash for properties, get pre-approved for an investor loan to understand your available credit.Time FrameThe shorter your timeline to achieve your goal, the more upfront capital and credit you’ll need.End GoalMost investing goals focus on replacing their current income, like $5,000/Mo.