Be careful with that strategy, I know you can get out if you don't get financing, but it leaves a bad taste to future sellers

Too many issues for my taste.

New fireplace.Just needs taping, trim, cabinets and flooring to taste. 

Since Bay Area property values are a little too hot for my taste I take a cheap flight from SF to Chicago once a month and invest in cheap properties.

They chose a tasteful paint but they only painted half the apartment (all rooms minus bedrooms) and have "too been busy with work" to complete.

If you go into a property with this, you will be making a move that will be over extending yourself and I would try to stay away from that because if that is the only money you have, that move with the money will stress you out and maybe even put a bad taste in your mouth to never invest again! 

There's duplex up the street from me I want so bad I can taste it!

I plan to continue investing in stocks but would like to diversify my investments by adding some passive real estate to the mix.I got my first taste of the lucrative nature of real estate when the landlord I was renting my downtown Seattle condo from decided to sell, and I was able to purchase directly from him without it ever being listed on the MLS.

Still a bit too fancy shmansy for my taste (I'm more of a KISS kinda investor) ... but if I were to play the gold game, that's how I'd play it.  

Was a bit overvalued to my taste and it's probably still the same.