So I'm looking for advice and input from those with STR experience, or at least in the know.What interests me is a moderately priced property, targeting the normal folk.

I moderate on a few... but there are scores of sites which touch on short sales.

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Poor work habits, alcoholism, drug use, and criminal activity are prevalent in handymen and construction workers in these pay grades.

There are a number of folks in NC following what he advocates and experiencing the success and the hassle that Lonnie writes about.Lonnie and another guy moderate a MH forum on a different site.

Most of what an inspector inspects will not be able to done properly without the utilities turned on, and most abandoned houses don't have utilities on and will most likely need at least moderate amounts of work just to get the utilities turned on.

Outside looking in, it seems like either the facts you have been presented with are somewhere between moderately and extremely exaggerated OR there are variables not being presented that are extreme.  

My appologies to Michael (the creator of this thread) & the moderators as I have gone a tad off topic here.

Thanks You can set up a gallery under your profile with the imagery you mentioned; here is a post that I wrote that tells how to do that:http://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/25/topics/45114-how-to-post-a-picture-Be aware that posting the images into the forums would be considered promotional, and that the moderators would be inclined to remove that, EXCEPT if you posted it under the "promote your site" forum where promotional links are permitted.

While maybe it was just his southern drawl, I wonder if alcohol played a factor...