If she isn't loaded with insurance and is wealthy, she won't have the funds to stay very long in an assisted living or nursing home and will look to Medicare to kick in to pay the tab.I won't go into the assessment of assets for the determination of benefits, but her home that she owns and occupies as her residence is excluded.

Okay, perhaps not impossible but I get the feeling that NYC is one of the harder REI markets to invest in for beginners.I wish Joshua and Brandon would invite an experienced NYC BP member willing to share their assessment of this market and the surrounding areas and unique strategies that would work for this local market.  

The current tax appraisal is around $240K, but I have to do a little more due diligence around how lenders in NJ assess appraisals for an equity loan/LOC.

Assess the same way.  

As an investor doing my own assessment of value, how would I you recommend acquiring the most up to date cap rates and GRMs to punch into a spreadsheet?  

Based on my assessment, the worst case scenario is an 8k gain in equity from the reno at 235k offer price. 

If I had the cash and financing I would be buying in nicer neighborhoods at 2% all day long.Regarding taxes, yes they are outrageous - not just the rate but the assessments.

I've been told that duplexes more slower then SFH in this area, but the assessed value of this duplex is $210k, so at $165k I think it is priced to move, so I should be able to turn around and sell it around what I payed for it without a huge issue.I will note that I am moving to this area and living in one side for a while and will be working full time in a very good field ($100k/year+).

Do a full renovation to make the house price compatible with the level of ocean front houses that might be built on the subdivision so that it does not detract from the Ocean lots.

Compatibility!