In hindsight I can see all the mistakes I made but...pura vida.I do my proformas and try to calculate returns but I don't measure the value of investments purely on these terms like some others who've responded to you.

Mia - I've seen someone else post about this revision to the UC rent control measure but can't find anything on the city's website. 

Neither of these properties is a median-type homes in Memphis, no matter how you measure. 

My husband and I (ok...my husband) are pretty handy, so we aren't afraid of doing a lot of work ourselves, and I know dealing Iowa winters will mean we need to take some precautionary measures, but it seems like low cost of entry for investing (we just got our first SFH this fall)

I believe it is a larger issue than what we define as the economy, which is mostly measured in corporate profits and Wall Street performance, this is not what the average person perceives.

It’s a great way to measure if the investment is worth it!

Or, one the gov. loves to bring in, wire transfer illegal in whatever measure pulling from civil into criminal. 

& track my job costs against each category so I can compare my budget vs actuals and calculate the variances.For example:Electrical Budget: $4,000Electrical Actual: $6,300Variance: +$2,300This process is more tedious because you have to breakdown each invoice or receipt and allocate the costs to each Category, but it really helps you understand where you are spending your money and why you went over budget.Otherwise, it sounds like you are having trouble measuring employee productivity?  

Additionally, if you’re not local, requesting photos or videos of the problem can provide clarity before approving expensive repairs.For the lead paint testing, it’s important to determine whether this is a compliance requirement or a proactive measure.

What strategies or flood mitigation measures worked best for you to ensure long-term profitability?