(Even though I am a terrible golfer and would much rather be ripping ice cold beers on a beach or riding a motorcycle), but you get the point.  

But before they get it rented again, the copper thieves get there and rip and strip all plumbing, all wiring, destroy the AC condenser unit and all in all cause $10,000 in damage, which the owner needs to pay to get the house re rented and they often pay someone to put the house back together again to go into a quick placement of a new tenant and get back into scenario #1 or #2 again.Along about the time the other $15,000 in reserves run out, they decide they have to sell, but the house that they paid $15,000 for has all the damage to if from the first or second break in and is no only worth about $6,000 . . . so as one of the first reply's said . . .as a new investor going into an out of state market with $15,000 to buy a house  . . . at least in Kansas City . . . save yourself the heartache and head ache and set your money on fire.Or save it and do something else . . . . 

It didn't matter, we ripped it all out.  

sometimes it's easier and about the same price to just rip it all out, put in a new acrylic tub & shower surround from home depot ($500), toilet ($120), and vanity ($200).  

@Jeff Petsche  Thank you for ripping that apart.  

If, however, this person turns out to have little more than speeding tickets in his past, it's probable he got ripped off too.

Saying "I am looking to get a feel for rents in this area because I am interested in moving here, and i don't want to get ripped off" is a good way to disarm people.  

Just wanted to make sure I was not getting ripped off! 

Hello all,I am working on remodeling my first investment, and I need to have the old, thirty-year old carpets ripped up and replaced with laminate / vinyl to look like wood for the living room, dining room and kitchen, and the three bedrooms to have new carpeting.The house in question is ~1,500 square feet, but I have gotten some extremely high estimates for the job and am wondering if I'm either misunderstanding something or not approaching this job correctly. 

Two of our rentals have taken on water and our personal home might too.I was thinking about going over there as soon as the water recedes under slab and start shop vacuuming, ripping out baseboards/door trim and sheet rock and insulation, and setting up fans.