It does not appear that many newbies (or experienced) investors are buying much (transaction levels are at record lows). 

Interested in getting some extra income with converting the extra space in the basement into a rentable unit.Basements in a one-family home can be lawfully rented only if the following conditions are met:Compliance with the Housing Maintenance Code for minimum room size.There is a minimum ceiling height of 7 ft.The walls, as high as ground level, must be damp- and water-proofed if HPD determines that subsoil conditions on the lot require it.The basement is occupied by one family and does not include boarders.Every room must have at least one window.The bottom of any yard or other required open space cannot be higher than six inches below the window sill of any required window in the room.

An inspector can also evaluate at a surface level the structural integrity.

We have seen maintenance costs skyrocket over the past 2-3 years and every case is different but here are some general guidelines for reputable (non-crackhead) investor level pricing in our area of operations:Furnace and A/C replacement with lineset for standard 3 bed 1 bath bungalow.

Feel free to shoot me some high level particulars and I can keep you anonymous. 

Fannie Mae will allow you to transfer the deed to an LLC if you decide to try to go the conventional route, but the loan would still be in your names and you'll need to pay a title company a second time post-closing to do this  for you. 3) I can't speak for the area so no comment there4) If you're self managing, make sure you find vendors you can trust in the area since you won't be able to easily verify if an HVAC guy, plumber, etc. is trying to rip you off and tell you to buy something you don't actually need. 5) Make sure you have clear alignment of goals and a clear operating agreement that spells out what to do if those goals start to not align in the future since you'll be jointly obligated to these properties. 

Some costs MAY qualify as startup costs if the rental rises to a qualifying trade or business level under 195 as well.

Yes, about 82% of properties are matched to a person in DealMachine - you get their phone, email, age, birthday, income level, renting OR owning.

There is a set time for the agreement, so if you can't give 30--45 days for the agent to find you the right deal, or don't trust they can/will, then move on to the next agent.By entering into an agreement with the agent they become your fiduciary, and as such will represent your best interests. 

@John Slater - So you knowingly associate with James Piccolo, whom the Arizona Corporation Commission fined $6 million dollars in restitution and fines for defrauding 105 investors with unregistered deed of trust investments?