(For context, it's a 2700 sf 4 bd 3 bath house in an upscale Northern California suburb.)Kitchen A: Traditional, features a 48 in fridge, 36 in cooktop, window sink (no view), pantry.Kitchen B: Designer, features a 60 in fridge, 48 in range, large kitchen window (no view), sink facing living/dining room; unfortunately no pantryKitchen C: A Little Bit of Both, features a 48 in fridge, 48 in range, sink facing living/dining room, pantry, unfortunately there's no window.Total countertop space is roughly the same (22 ft)  in all three layouts.

You then might renovate the property, so it's worth, let's say, $150,000 after 12 months.At the end of the first year you have title to a property worth $150,000 which is serving as collateral on promissory note where you owe about $88,600.

That's not worth your trouble IMHO....is there anything else more serious?

This consideration may be worth it in terms of approaching local banks or credit unions with an understanding of real estate investment because they are generally flexible in offering loans compared to national lenders.

I've been bringing in $400k worth of business but its not enough here in California that I keep to really make a difference.

We want a high paying job immediately when we graduate...and, the cost is so high, without getting that instant financial reward upon graduation, it's not worth the cost.Going to school is extremely important. 

It's worth checking out.

Year 11 they are losing $1k a month and the property is worth 80% of what they bought it for. 

It is all about adding value and improving cash-on-cash returns.It is also worth checking market trends to see the year-over-year growth rate and run a pro forma to project how much appreciation and rental income increases you might see over time.Your savings and financial discipline put you in a great spot, and I would just encourage you to explore how you can make your money work harder for you instead of locking it all into one property.

It doesn't seem to be much in the way of appreciation over time, but would these be worth checking out for the beginning investor?