You will have some credibility after having kicked out the dealers - use your credibility to set the block on an upward spiral.

Credit card are a problem... i think he has a whooping 20k-30k credit card bills with high interest... where he can barely pay the interest every month... it's a deadly spiral for him- credit is ok... he does not have bad payment history, but because he maxed out his limits with the cards, credit is in the low 600s- we can figure out something for his downpayment 3.5%, but he can't put anything substantial down- his debt to income ratio without cards and cars would be  40% (right at the limit of a VA loan)... with all cards and cars it's 60%+He would not mind at all a high interest rate.

300+ business cards, and a way to take info down quickly, good old spiral pocket notebook and a pencil, or electronically, although I find it difficult to organize my spur of the moment thoughts electronically.

otherwise, it's a downward spiral with vacancies.

But could something else happen, could a flaw be found that spirals into a "crash", who knows. 

It's a deadly spiral with no end in sight for many of these towns.Some of my clients that live in these areas have seen them die off over decades and now want to invest commercially into warmer climate states for retirement.

(And WHEN that mountain of "toxic debt" might ultimately "spiral- out," and the entire edifice IMPLODE, is anyone's guess?)

it's a self inflicted downward spiral that we see way too often. sadly they drag their children into the abyss.

They've recently adopted a new set of storm water requirements and between the "green streets" and mandatory frontage improvements they are requiring the design and construction costs have really spiraled. 

I own an 18 unit C class apartment in Killeen, Tx.  When I purchased the complex from a mom and pop owner operator it had good occupancy and many long term tenants.  I carefully selected a PM company that is off site ...