I'm only really worried about the big ticket items that come up, that I may not be prepared for.

Especially if you’re buying an investment property with a high ticket price, a buyer’s earnest money deposit, or EMD, can be quite a large sum.

So many people are still buying the "going to college is the golden ticket" program because, as you said, that's all they know about.

Your back story is inspiring and I know that if you just stick with REI through good times and bad you will one day open that candy bar and find that golden ticket. 

How fast can you refill your reserve cash when big ticket items come up? 

Please let me know if anyone is interested in going in on tickets for Denver.  

I find it funny how someone will be willing to pay $$$ to buy and rehab but will not spend the money for a plane ticket to go look at the asset.

You have the one house and 5k in reserve... you end a lease and have a 2 month vacant period you need to cover the mortgage for and the furnace or ac or some other big ticket item goes out. that will likely cost more than 5k.

I would want to live in lakeview, Lincoln park, wicker park, and Bucktown neighborhoods and first choice would be lakeview since I have Chicago Cubs season tickets and enjoy going to the games

You can use it to exchange a property you’ve fully depreciated.You can use a paid off property as a downpayment towards a large property.You can use it when you start to approach your last of 10 golden ticket loans to consolidate the number of loans you have.