It was 'remodeled' maybe 15 years ago into an open balcony master BR up with an open metal center-spine staircase.  

There is a scrap metal dealer on the same block who is also zoned R-3

You can buy adjustable metal posts and place a few where needed. 

I have met all of my current partners at REIA meetings.If there isn't a REIA in your area you can try starting one.

Also possible that they had been and gone and nothing was worth taking. these crews usually only take stuff that can be quickly turned into cash (copper, radiators, appliances, random metal) There's no guarantee a house will be broken into in a rough neighborhood, particularly if the appearance from the outside doesn't indicate an easy score. 

There's a pretty huge demand for pet friendly properties, and stained and sealed concrete is about the only way to accommodate people and their muts..They would be pretty low maintenance with the metal roofing, hardie board, concrete floors, mini split hvac.  

But you are not limited to that either, with self-directed IRA or 401k you can invest into virtually anything: private businesses, precious metals, bitcoins, pier-to-pier lending, private placements, foreign real estate and businesses, etc. etc. etc.

I'd probably take half for mutual funds/REITS/Metals/cash, etc., and then leverage the rest into quality RE.

It depends on the type of roof comp, tile, concrete, metal. 

I hadn't found a house that I was crazy about purchasing yet, I just couldn't quite find a property that met all the criteria I'm looking for in my investment properties.So as I continued doing it I decided to go back and listen to every podcast from Episode 1 until now and there was one episode that caught my attention in particular.