For example, there's a 1950 duplex for sale (West Palm Beach, FL) for $500k with each tenant (MoM) paying $1,500 = $3k/moThe mortgage is $2.8k/moWould this be a bad investment because you would have to factor improvements and possible vacancy?

I have been investing for awhile but have only recently started picking up properties that I know will not cashflow because of the prices in the area I invest (Dallas/Fort Worth) and the higher rates.I am still picking them up because it will still pay down debt and provide me with depreciation that I can use to offset my flipping and lending income.

If you wait until that area is completely revitalized, you're going to pay for it.

I want you to be likely to pay me back even if the deal does not go perfectly.  

Over the years I picked business degrees, real estate license, tax preparation training, loan officer licensing and training, investment / CFP training and it is all tied together in one big connected body of knowledge that emphasizes appreciation, debt pay down, cash flow, and tax write-offs...  

But surely you can evict if they cause a lot of damage or don’t pay their rent, right? 

Get your DTI down by pulling cash out of an investment and paying taxes OR paying more for a bridge loan. 

That's how I started - renting out a spare bedroom to a roommate and I still do that because once I learned I didn't have to pay my whole mortgage it was hard to imagine paying it all myself again, haha!

People offer to pay cash up front or rent for a longer term in hopes of avoiding any scrutiny.

I recently sold a property, but I still receive notices for paying property taxes and utilities.