I tried to make this as “apples to apples” as possible.OPTION A: Wife rents an apartmentRent & utilities: $800/mo.Housing expenses after 3 years: $28,800NET EXPENSES AFTER 3 YEARS: $28,800OPTION B: Buy duplex, wife lives in one sideNOE when renting out one side: $465/mo.Housing expenses after 3 years: $16750Initial down payment for purchase: $19600 (including $10k in closing costs/repairs)GROSS EXPENSES AFTER 3 YEARS: $36,350Down Payment Equity after 3 years: $9600Debt Service Loan Paydown: $4650TOTAL EQUITY AFTER 3 YEARS: $14,250NET EXPENSES AFTER 3 YEARS: $22,100Difference between Options A & B: $6700, or about $186/month.So, understanding that “anything can happen” in landlording, is the $6700 savings worth the extra responsibility and PITA factor?

I'm interested in the West Des Moines and Waukee areas due to the data centers being built by Microsoft and Apple. 

I have been to many of these events as an invited guest .. and people do get caught up in it..the one I went to in Vegas the Vegas summit that had the flippin Vegas show stars that showed up for a cameo.. they did about 45 minutes of Q and A and they were out of there.but again what they did in that market and whats reality today is just apples and oranges..

All bids should be apples-to-apples.What are you getting confused about with the bids? 

Tim,If you send out postcards or any sales letters, etc. always offer a Home Seller's Guide as a Lead Generation Magnet! 

So I been wanting to dip my hands in to the warm and crowded apple pie of REI.

We disabled the Pro exclusive forum in our iOS app to comply with Apple's terms of service.

Sounds like to me they know what they are doing and no sense in up setting the apple cart at this early stage.

Lakeville, Apple Valley, and Eagan are better and also more expensive for the same types of units.If you prefer a more urban hipster cycling brewpub millennial nightlife lifestyle, I would highly recommend many areas in south Minneapolis.  

It looks like it's being presented as a high-end kind of thing, possibly with the expectation that it will service people moving to the area for Apple.