While it was out I provided electric heaters for the tenant to use, and the unusually warm weather we've enjoyed lately, and the apartment's location surrounded by other heated apartments, meant it was still habitable during the furnace outage, albeit cooler than normal.  

Either you're going to be busting your *** trying to find deal or busting your *** trying to sell inventory -- and sometimes both.As for my buying habits when I wrote the book, as I discuss in the book, I was also doing thousands of mailers every month (I give examples of the exact mailers I was using), plus working with wholesalers, plus going to auctions, plus buying HUD properties, etc. 

Luckily now, I don't have the same spending habits as before.I feel that I do have a little bit of time ahead of me before I can start investing due to the need to save up and also revive my credit score.

Tristin,I think you are missing some vital information:Environmental responsibility?

The property condition guidelines would make it very difficult to find a property that you could add a significant amount of value to, as the property must be in habitable condition when you purchase it.

To all the BP members, in your experience, what is the most important thing when selling your idea, work habits, and passion to a partner/investor with the cash needed to start off.1.)

Getting a Mentor is vitally important if you are to avoid investor mistakes.

Certainly a home has to be habitable by modern definition, so that eliminates those comparisons.

However, without regard which entity strategy you use It is VITAL that you keep separate banking accounts and religiously adhere to corporate formalities.

It also picks up your habits and starts adjusting for you.This would've come in handy for me the last time I went to Florida in the wintertime.