Easier to manage and it should cashflow well if not as well as a STR.Multiplex STRs are often the worst parts of everything.

This can be very expensive and is usually the worst choice to make because you can't justify the cost.2.

I think it's safe to say that we all can be our own worst enemy and make decisions that are not always rational. 

I will compare the two properties using the following formulas:ROI = (Income - DebtService - ManagementFee - Insurance - RETax - PeriodicFees) x (1 - StateIncomeTax) / ( DownPayment + ClosingCosts)Below are calculations for both properties:Austin: (1,700 x 12 - 1100 x 12 - 8% x 1700 x 12 - 1625 - 6022 - 41 x 12) x (1 - 0) / ( 25% x 252500 + 3% x 252500) or -3.6%Las Vegas: (1,490 x 12 - 1110 x 12 - 8% x 1490 x 12 - 450 - 1490 - 41 x 12) x (1 - 0) / ( 25% x 255000 + 3% x 255000) or .98%Despite the Austin property having a significantly higher rent/price ratio, it has by far the worst actual return by over 4%!

They seemed like a great fit but I can't stop thinking about worst case scenario that my water bill doubles once they move in.Thanks,Tim

That's the worst I've seen. 

Home prices usually go up or at worst sideway during recessions. 2008 is on everyone's mind, but it was not a recession that caused home prices to go down, in fact it was the mortgage melt down that eventually spiraled into a recession.It is not very likely that we are going to see a reduction in home prices, at least not across the board or more than a few percent.

I wrote the general approach I come at asset protection in my article "5 Pillars of Asset Protection," so you can check that out for more of a high-level approach to asset protection.The second two questions are more based on how you want to approach investing - and generally I would encourage people to just imagine and compare the best-case-scenario versus the worst-case-scenario.

Not the worst thing in the world.

You’ll have to assume the worst.