My guess is that is possibly the case in your area - you're in the northern part of USA, and it's quite cold.

This is the case in many areas these days (unlike 2008-2011, where most markets had an abundance of great deals on the MLS) -- and in those markets where MLS inventory is low, you need to focus on off-market deals.

@Clint Coons wrote a good blog on the topic about a court case in 2009: http://clintcoons.wordpress.com/2009/05/19/tax-court-denies-real-estate-investors-education-expenses/

Case in point, the numbers do not really cash flow, and I do not have a lot of cushion by any means on this condo Im looking at, but still want to purchase something down there.

While that could be the case, in many cases, the timing can be short such as 2-5 years.

I've sold many of my rentals where I had other opportunities ("better opportunities" would have been nice each time, but that was not always the case in hindsight) --but I still own properties that I've had for 20+ years now because the cash flow is too nice to walk away from (regardless that they are debt-free).

Teaching is an art and having certain credentials does not insure quality teaching; case in point: Our public school system.

There is no moisture in any surface in any room.They are closing the case in our favor, as frivolous.The tenant even tried to make a complaint to the health district that she should be able to withhold rent because her dishwasher doesn't work.

Can you imagine the time involved in researching a case in the history leading up to a case concerning a violation of compliance?

Unless the bank gives you a much better rate for a higher DCR (which has never been the case in my experience), after securing financing, make the numbers work for you.