This is the kind of assurance that bad tenants can routinely make because it is relatively costless, they know they won't pay.

If you feel uncomfortable with a monthly fee structure, you can look for an accountant that bills hourly or by the form (Schedule A, E, etc.). 

There is also the option of pulling money out of our primary residence, but is not my first choice due to wanting to keep the mortgage on the property at its low level (I think a lot of it has to do with being uncomfortable with the inexperience of the finance side of this option).  

To further break this down, if on June 15th you were billed $41.50 for a routine maintenance repair that you were responsible for, and on July 1st you only paid your regular rent payment, your rent payment would be considered $41.50 short.

HUD homes are one of the best deals out there and my listings routinely sell for over list price.

I'd lump insurance, taxes, utilities, and any sort of routine maintenance (e.g., lawn care or snow removal) into there.

Since I invest in rentals approximately 10 miles from my home, and that they're all in the same neighborhood, I routinely drive by each unit.

Originally posted by Bryan Alenky:not sure how it works in your state, but in north carolina there's a settlement sheet called the HUD, that both buyer and seller must sign.The HUD-1 is standard in all 50 states...And yes, if the buyer looks at the HUD-1, he *will* see how much is coming to you from the settlement of the sale, regardless of whether you happen to be at the same closing table or not...Btw, if you do happen to be sitting at the table and notice that your buyers get uncomfortable when they see/hear how much you're walking away with, it's easy to just make an off-hand comment about, "I wish that was actually my profit on this...oh well..."

We are current (barely) with payments but am feeling that foreclosure is the the only option and would appreciate any insight or advice from those of you with similar experience or the comments of professionals that deal routinely with same situations.

I've always had a bit of nerves when I sign on the dotted line, simply because there are so many other properties to invest in and I hope I've gotten the very best one.But only one time did I feel so uncomfortable that I almost didn't get in the car to go to closing, almost didn't get out of the car at the title company and almost didn't sign the paperwork when it was in front of me.