Charging tenants for repairs probably wouldn't stand up in court but I know a lot of Landlords do it.

The ball is in your court to do the research and to make a decision on the asset class.

If its pure verbal, it wont hold up in court.....Proving they cracked the tub due to negligence may be much harder to prove....

and MF units that would likely cashflow (seen a few duplexes on CL, driving around, one of which was unlisted in a seemingly great spot in Charlotte for commute time and being forced to be sold via court order ;) )-- Still need to call the number associated with that one (didn't have a price).

The other risk is that if you come in and kick over the hornet's nest, one or more of the neighbors could go to land court and claim "adverse possession".NC might be different, but here in MA, if you use the property of another, "openly, continuously and notoriously" for a period of 20 years, you can file an action and potentially own that property.If you really want to remove that road, you need to block it off for at least a day to break the "continuously" element of the test.  

YUP when it was legal to do these in Or and WA It was my main business model.. we still bought at court house steps but only after we failed to get the owner to deed to us and let us buy sub too..Now this comes with risk.1. usually not enough time for title company escrow so you buying without insurance.2. old owner may squat even though they say they wont.3. bank can call the loan all over again but you have plenty of time to sell before that would happen.4. you miss something with your do it yourself title search.what you need is an Authorization by the owner signed with their SSI so you can contact the Trustee service that is holding the sale and the bank .. to get accurate payoff numbers.. then you simply get a cashiers check or wire to the trustee or service and reinstate the loan at the same time U prep a deed from the owner to you.. 

If they pass screening add them to a new M2M and you then have an additional individual to peruse for rent payment should it go to court.

@Maya V. you probably should talk to an attorney about this, but I think the situation is a bit different if you buy a property and want to move it (an OMI, and this is not what you are talking about) and you just want to move away for a couple years and come back. there also is a court case right now - a couple that is in the military (one of them is) and moved away for a year, then had to pay the displacement fees to their tenants ($5K-12K or so, I think) - but apparently there are ways to get around this payment if you draft the lease a certain way (again, talk to an attorney) I have found that with other rules in Oakland, if you move in as an owner, you have to stay a certain period of time (or offer the unit at the old price to the old tenants)

I am looking into 2 bedrooms right now so maybe I won't court the "families' with kids causing issues.

As you noted, different areas of the country have different heating requirements based on the severity of the cold season.