When I was a kid, about 13 or 14, I worked in a berry farm in the summer, got promoted to work at the mink farm across the street in the winter, cleaned a barbar shop on thursdays and also mowed yards whenever the grass would grow.Then, dropped out of high school at age 16 and did this kind of stuff for 8 years:RooferGrocery baggerHotel JanitorCredit card customer serviceCarpet cleanerElectician Helper Cable TV installer8 years later:Bachelor's Civil Engineering8-5 Geotechnical Engineer for last 4 yearsMaster's Civil Egineering (just this month)Future.......?

TV/internet service I can lower easily especially if a competitor has a teaser rate going on for a year! 

If you are not getting a great deal then you may end putting your own money into it (rentals) if the market turns south again.I do want to qualify my statements and thoughts by saying, I am not an expert and I do not play one on TV.

(When I hear TV commentators glibly opine on what the market will do next, I am reminded of Mickey Mantle's scathing comment: "You don't know how easy this game is until you get into that broadcasting booth.")"

With mortgage companies making the process a little more demanding and the TV shows providing a unrealistic overview of the actual work involved, its' refreshing to have someone step up to the plate and provide a more realistic view.

Are you only looking for that because you have seen the TV shows and the like?

He was on rental assistance, and doesn't have a pot to piss in (but he does have a 65" widescreen TV).

Now living the dream myself with massive passive income allowing me to ski,bike,hike, PLAY daily) The real key for you though is 'This is not like late night TV."

Does someone actually do this, or is it just BS tv show hogwash?

If you buy first, then determine you will have to spend more than it is worth to fix it, you will be one of the many that tried real estate flipping and found out it is nothing like they show on TV.