It's very cheap and not difficult to maintain bond/license/insurance.

That's easy compared to trying to fight and erroneous $13k water bill (a real issue we had) or an insurance policy tripling (that too).

Tax accountant, banker, realtors, property manager, insurance agent, etc.  

I just learned that builders risk and liability insurance coverage can cease once a CO is issued for a new build.

They cited insurance reasons, which could very well be true, but many residents felt it as a big "f you" Now folks from outside the community could argue this was an entitled stance from the residents, to feel they had access to this private land when they didn't, and that on the face is certainly true.

This is not a great return, but not terrible.As others noted, there are other risks, like having the property insured at full replacement or purchase price, or if the option is 100% seller financing with no money down or very little, versus 20% traditional down payment, this can start to move it into a better investment.

My duplex - built 1989, 2,060 sf, 2 bed/bath, 1 year old roof, value if I subdivide (county already approved) and sell each separately $150k each ($300k total)Investor duplex - built 1995, 2,300 sf, 2 bed/bath, 5 year old roof, value around $310kThe investors initial request was for an equal trade and they would pay realtor fees, which I replied wouldn't be equal due to buying/selling costs (recording fees, title insurance, closing fee, survey, inspections, loan fees, 1031 fees, accountant fees, repairs), taxes would increase due to new sale price, I'd trade a 3.75% mortgage for a higher one, and I'm on the 10th year of a 30 year loan so resetting that to a new loan would restart amortization and pay more towards interest.

I’m a 41-year-old father of six who loves the Lord and is driven by a desire to build a better future for my family through real estate.I own a small tile installation business, am a certified insurance agent, and am currently in the process of obtaining my real estate license.

What about maintenance, taxes, insurance, or setting aside funds for capex?

The moral of this story is to have good home owners insurance!