That I thought was a Detroit phenomenon.I thought there were zero dollar houses there from the original post, but looked it up and found a $5,000 floor with a required punch list of expensive fix ups.If you guys had zero dollar homes just due to bad neighborhood conditions, I thought why not buy some (as experts in buying), and give them to the homeless in the area because sleeping outside in the snow must be dreadfully cold (assuming they would not know how to buy them, even for zero down for whatever reason).Then I discovered the expensive fix ups they required--and that kind of threw a monkey wrench into that theory.It gets pretty cold in your neck of the woods, and removing Hobo's from an area should pop its desirability up a little--seemed like a win win (at first glance).Just my 2 cents.

One injury or accident could wipe your entire family out.

They ruined the house and I had to pay them to leave.To add insult to injury, when I spoke to their new landlord last night I found out that since they "could not afford to pay rent for August or anytime in the future due to Covid 19" they are able and willing to pay $4500 a month for a new place.

The investment decisions that you will make when those loans are gone will be significantly different than the decisions you make with that weight hanging around your neck.

For the last 3 months rent has been late.This week (right when rent is due) they claimed a medical injury caused by plumbing issue with toilet getting hot water and causing a “burn” on buttocks. 

Or who insures the injury to the Amazon driver delivering to the STR guest when they fall in the driveway. 

Scary looking guys with neck tattooes.

I'm not saying I don't believe in leverage, because I'm leveraged up to my neck for my local properties.

Would love to network with some other NY/NJ area investors who've taken the plunge into long distance rentals/ potentially set up some meetups in our neck of the woods.

I am retired Army " bad injury" and retired from teaching Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.