As the investor gains experience, they are not only able to more successfully foresee the “bumps” along the way, able to handle recessions, temporary negative cash flow, unforeseen capital expenditures without panicking, but will also recognize the opportunities necessary to turn a loss into a break even.

Winter always sees fewer people moving, but a lot of people were transitioning for the last 4-5 years.

Once you've identified what's important and what ratios to look for to evaluate a property, all future deals should be weighted against those "good" ratios/numbers - and periodically adjust to suit your goals.

Quote from @Aaron Letzeiser: REVISED CODE@Aaron LetzeiserI was hoping to work with Obie, but on the last page before signing the documents, I came across this disclaimer, which made me rethink my decision. 

If the market goes down you don't take the losses either. 

This creates two loan payments ($100,000 of equity and $300,000 on the new mortgage).Key NumbersHome Equity Loan Interest Rate: 6%Mortgage Interest Rate: 7%Rental Income: $3,000 per monthExpenses (management, taxes, insurance, maintenance): $800 per monthIncome and ExpensesMonthly Rental Income: $3,000Monthly Expenses: $800Monthly Mortgage Payment: $2,000ExplanationThe investor earns $3,000 in rent each month.They pay $2,000 on the investment property mortgage and $800 on other expenses.This leaves $200 profit each month or $2,400 per year.However, you have to pay $6,000 interest on the equity borrowed.This leaves you with an annual loss of $3,600.While the rental property generates positive monthly income, the interest cost of borrowing the initial $100,000 results in an overall loss.

@MIchael McCUe   I get it, it feels like an incredible weight that you could easily lift with bankruptcy.

Most are being encouraged to buy Class B-minus rentals and below, but no one corrects them about their mistake of using Class A assumptions on these rentals:When a newbie gets smacked with reality via their losses, they then can only suck it up until time improves their mistake or dump at a loss.So, my question is, why can't we all do better and grow our industry with integrity?

But if those payments feel like dead weight, Dave Ramsey’s “debt-free” mindset could be worth revisiting.Here’s a quick story to illustrate.

They are now selling resulting in a 100% loss for investors.